Abandoned
by glittergoddess13
Summary: A spirit seeks revenge. When she can't kill the one she wants, other men pay the price. Sam worries that Dean's womanizing ways make him too an appealing target. ProtectiveSam!ProtectiveDean! SnarkDean! SnarkSam! LIMPSAM! HurtSam! HurtDean!
1. Broken Heart

**Author's note: Here is the Teaser. As always, reviews are totally awesome and welcomed. I love ya for doing them. I'm very easy to please. I wrote this chapter fast to get it out of my head and started. Sam and Dean will find lots of trouble with this one in Chapter 2. Just to tease you more: Sam gets to make fun of Dean's history with women in future chapters. I do like seeing Dean squirm. Please enjoy the beginning of **_**Abandoned**_

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Water worn monuments lumped together as witnesses to a new member joining their ranks. They stood timeless as inscribed reminders of love ones who have traveled on. Most were forgotten and unvisited as families died out, but today the living walked among them. A small burst of color, flowers surrounding the new grave, stood apart from the gray stone monoliths of the Amma Cemetery. A loathsome sweetness clung to the flower scented air, even on an overcast day.

There was no way to escape this day as a mother came to bury her only daughter. The small gathering of family stood at the graveside, saying goodbye to their precious Aida. As the ceremony concluded, the sobbing mother almost toppled to the ground. Her daughter's boyfriend supported her from going down. The sky and her bleakness exact mirrors of each other. Christopher Kramer put on a brave face as friends and family expressed remorse of losing such lovely girl in the prime of her life.

Adelina Jordan lingered at the graveside of her daughter, wishing she could have had some clue to her daughter's actions. She clung to Christopher's arm. "I don't understand this, Chris. How could she do such a thing? Things were going so well for you both."

"Don't torture yourself. Often these things go unanswered."

"She was so happy with you, just as I was when I met her father years ago."

"Come on, Mrs. Jordan, we should go." Chris took her by the hand and led her away from the gravesite to her car. They strolled the short distance as Adelina sobbed. Assisting her into the seat, Chris smiled sweetly. "I'll come visit you soon."

"Oh, Chris. You have been so wonderful. We feel so blessed to have you."

"No, I was the one blessed by having your daughter in my life. You are like family to me, Adelina." The young man leaned forward and planted a kiss upon her cheek.

"Let me drive you somewhere."

"No, I just need a few more moment alone."

"Of course," she said remorsefully. She started the car and pulled away, watching the handsome young man wave goodbye. She felt so lucky to have Chris to lean on.

The young man walked away from the gravesite and up to the adjacent city blocks. He was in a hurry to get to his motel. Tomorrow, this town and this moment would be a bad dream. He strutted as if he owned the earth he walked upon, bumping past anyone in his path with disregard. He ridiculed the small shops and curiosities that littered the busy street. For a moment, he eyes locked on Madam Mysteria's Fortunetelling. "Charlatan!" He scoffed as he strutted by the open door. Suddenly, his arm was captured and he was pulled back to look into the eyes of a blind Asian woman. The alabaster transparency of her eyes gave Chris the willies.

"I know what you have done. The spirit is not at rest. You have destroyed her heart and tonight she will come for your heart."

"Let go of me you old witch!"

Madam Mysteria laughed heartedly. "You think you know better than me. You caused Aida's death and she will come for you. She will come back for revenge. Tonight, you must draw a ring of salt around your bed. Do not break the circle. Hide underneath your bed as the clock strikes midnight or you will be dead in the morning. Mind my words!"

"BAH! Off with you." He forced out, although the fortuneteller knowing Aida's name had stirred fear into him. He swaggered on to his motel, trying hard to dismiss the seer's words.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

**Later that night…..**

Fear gripped Chris as he had watched the clock move slowly for the past hour. The hour readout of 11:59 p.m. enthused terror within him. Finally giving into the moment, he pulled his bed from the wall and drew a salt circle around it. Plunging under it, he was careful not to disturb the ring.

The grandfather clock in the hallway began to ring. His fear opened him into a frightened sweat.

DONG……DONG…………DONG……….DONG. The clock struck midnight and he was underneath his bed, waiting, frightened of what is going to happen. The space between the chimes was excruciating.

DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG. Silence lingered for a moment. Chris breathed a sigh of relief and began to slide from under the bed. His body inched a few centimeters before he heard a voice- Aida's voice. "Chris?" Footsteps echoed in the hollowness of the hallway.

"Where are you?"

Chris sucked in a breath, trying not to make a single sound. All he could do was wait and listen. A loud knock fell upon a door in the hallway.

KNOCK KNOCK "Not in Here!" Aida's voice said. Then, the pounding came from the room next to him. KNOCK KNOCK "Not in Here!"

Finally, the knocking came to his door. KNOCK KNOCK "Found You!" She did not enter, but kept knocking. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "Let me in, Chris. Please." Her voice was entrancing and sweet.

Chris didn't move, clinging to the motel floor as if frozen. Finally, Aida's voice became an angry scream and her footsteps echoed away from his door. Her scream continued. Chris took in a breath, holding onto the panic within him. The scream died off and he relaxed as he felt safe. Abruptly her scream rang out again with a crunch of flesh following it. Soon her wail was joined by the sound of another, the screams of a horrified male.

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	2. Toombs

The mixture of clatter inside the greasy spoon was perfect cover for a private conversation, not that Dean really noticed. He was itching for another hunt. Something about the thrill of sending another monster to a bloody end kept his mind from lingering on the past- pains, fights, deals, and death.

"So, outside of New York there have been a series of strange deaths. All in out of the way hotels and all occurring in the dead of night."

"Sounds good Sam. Let's go."

"Dean, I haven't even told you the good part yet and you are itching to go."

"Times a wastin'!" As soon as the words spilled Dean realized they were ill chosen. Sam's faced turned into a grimace. Quickly, Dean reassured Sam. "I mean, there is no sense in sticking around here. We finished that courthouse hunt, so I will be glad to get out of here. New York is not too far from here. Sounds perfect."

"At least let me finish before you grab the stakes and silver bullets."

"Fine."

"All the victims are male; vary in age, different races, different occupations, from different areas."

"So, the only common theme is that they are male and in New York."

"That and that their hearts were crushed from the inside without any external entry wounds."

"Nice!" Dean's sarcasm dripped over his words. "That had to hurt." His tone returned to the task at hand. "I don't know of any legends, creatures, or demons that follow that MO."

"Nope, but there have been seven deaths in four different hotels in the last week. The hotels are not one star by any means. It's like the killer or whatever moves on to the next hotel in line. "

"Damn, that does fit anything either. Poltergeist and spirits are usually connected to things related to their death and stick to the same area. Never heard of a moving one. So this thing is seeking out shitholes and killing some poor bastard. Hmmm… Maybe some ancient demon...or some obscure creature making itself known... like Eugene Toombs."

"Eugene Toombs?"

"Don't you ever watch TV, Sam?!? It's an X-file classic. Every few years, this guy come up and has to feed- I think it was on livers..."

"Yeah, Dean, I saw that..." Sam was dumfounded at Dean's random knowledge.

"So he has this ability to like bend and crawl through these tight ass places. It was freakin' creepy! And..."

"Dean?!"

"What?!" Dean gave his classical overplayed agitated response.

"You can't name a single Supreme Court Justice, but you can remember a random character's name from a TV show."

"Dude, that show was awesome. Did you see the fluke worm man?" Sam gave Dean a bemused disapproving look. Dean scoffed. "Man, you have to get some culture, Sam. Watch some TV or something."

"Jerry Springer is not culture!"

"So are we going on not?" Changing the subject, Dean shoved the last bit of pie in his mouth.

"We just finished the last job four hours ago. I think we need to rest a bit."

"Nah, nothing to stick around here for. Let's hit the ro..." As Dean was preparing to order Sam to get keister up and ready to go, a petite raven haired waitress brought them the check. "Can, I get you anything else?"

"Yes, Erica." Dean read her name badge. "I'd like something to go." He smiled.

"Okay, what will it be?"

Dean smiled wider and arched his eyebrow. He flashed his best bedroom eyes stare. She caught on, but so did Sam. He flopped more than enough funds to cover the bill as he kicked Dean under the table. She collected the money and nodded a thank you to Sam. "I'll just bring you the change."

As soon as the waitress sauntered away, Sam kicked his brother's leg again "We'll captain obvious, can you any more of a creep?"

"Dude, she was smokin'. Did you see that perfect alabaster skin and raven hair! Whew. Bet she is a firecracker in.."

"DEAN! You need help. One day your _**lecherous **_ways are going to get you in trouble."

"But it would be worth it! Whew." Sam looked disapproving again. "Dude, are you sure we are related."

"I was just going to ask you the same thing."

The waitress returned with the change and Sam held his hand out, but the young lady slid it over to Dean. She smiled and returned to her other customers. Triumphantly, Dean held up a dollar bill with a name and number: Erica: 555-7087. "What were you saying? Ahem!"

"Thought you said you wanted to go!?"

"Thought you said you wanted to relax after the last job?"

"So NOW you have a reason to stick around."

"You relax your way and I'll relax mine." Dean chuckled as he strutted proudly from the table, stopping only to give Erica a wink.

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**That night at the Rode Hard Inn…..**

The rundown shack of a hotel saw little traffic that didn't consist of vagrants or the occasional quickie couple. As it happened it was exactly what a couple had in mind tonight.

"Stacy, come on."

"Bob, if you aren't home soon you're wife is going to get suspicious."

"Don't worry, I told her I had a 'special' project I needed to work on. Plus, the kids have some stupid school thing. She won't miss me at all." He grabbed Stacy's waist and pulled her into the room. Both giggled insanely.

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**Later that night….**

Stacy turned on the shower and stepped inside. She had left Bob sleeping after their romp. She cracked her back and stood under the steaming water. As the water dripped she heard knocking on the outside doors.

"Bob, get that. I'll be out in a moment."

"Where are you, Chris?" She heard.

"Nevermind. Someone must be off looking for THEIR husband. I'll come join you in a minute." She laughed.

KNOCK KNOCK "Not in Here!" A voice said. Then, the pounding came again. KNOCK KNOCK "Not in Here!" KNOCK KNOCK "Found You!" KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "Let me in, Chris. Please."

"Stupid Bitch! Hey take your business elsewhere." Stacy yelled. A loud scream came from the outside the hallway. "Jesus, can you just SHUT THE HELL up!"

The scream continued as footsteps stomped back down the hall. The sound died off and Stacy turned off the water and grabbed her towel. As she wrapped her frame with the best towel the sleazy hotel had to offer, the scream began again with Bob joining in. "I know honey she just won't shut up. "

She heard a crunch followed by quiet. She opened the door and stood against the door tantalizingly. "So, does your wife do this for you?" She was about to drop the towel in a guttery tease when she notice blood drip from the corner of Bob's mouth. She stared in horror at his gaping frozen dead eyes. Now, her screamed filled the shabby hotel.


	3. Womanizer

"Hey!"

"What?" Dean rolled over and hugged his pillow as if his life depended on it.

"Time to go." Sam grabbed his brother's shoulder and shook him firmly.

Dean rolled over and blinked heavily from his motel bed. The giant Sam hovered over him with an expectant look for his brother to hop to. "What time is it?" Dean groaned out, running his hands over his bleary eyes.

"Six in the morning. About an hour after you got IN."

"He he he….yeah." Dean smacked his mouth and pushed himself to a half weaving sitting position. Looking at his brother, he noted Sam held three coffees in a cardboard carrier. "Three… THREE… Who..uh.. What did you do last night!? Sammy boy I'm proud of y…"

"No, two of those are for you. We are driving to New York today." Handing Dean a cup from the carrier, Sam gave him a stern look. "We have to hit the road and do some leg work before night fall."

Dean accepted the coffee happily as he was wore out. "So now you're in a hurry?'Sucking down his beloved coffee fix as fast as the hot temperature would permit, he relished the warmth in his throat.

"There was another death last night."

"Whatever it is, it is racking up the body count."

"This one was at a different..ahem..hotel. Last night Bob Beaver was…"

"hehehe, " Dean snorted.

"DEAN!" Sam cleared his throat. Dean simply chuckled as he drank more of his coffee. "Just drink your coffee!"

"Last night Bob was killed as his mistress was in the shower. Police took her in for questioning, but she was released and not considered a suspect. She told reporters some freaky jealous bitch had to do it. From her description, she heard a woman screaming for another man named Chris. Apparently the woman was pounding on doors and looking for him. The woman pounded on the doors for a long bit, and then started screaming. The mistress thought her boyfriend was screaming for the lady to shut up, but when she came out of the shower, Bob was dead. According to the news report on the web, his heart was crushed like an empty tin can and not a single mark on the outside"

"Well whatever this is, it has definitely got to be stopped."

"As soon as you are dressed, we can hit the highway. I mapped out the way to the Rode Hard Inn."

"Rode Hard! Sounds like an interesting place."

"I know focusing is difficult for you and if you can stop your delusions of adequacy for a moment"

"Hey…watch it!!! Adequate? Phff…I hate to tell you I was nowhere near adequate. I was.."

"Just remember you admitted that." Before Dean could get a good jab back at him, Sam changed the subject. "Get dressed and drink your coffee. I've already loaded the car. Well, except for your crap." Abruptly, Sam strutted to the door and left.

Dean rubbed his eyes again and then rubbed at the stubble on his chin. Taking a good swig of slightly cooled coffee, he grumbled.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Staring blankly outside the windshield, Sam watched the endless miles pass by. Glancing over at Dean, he smiled and shook his head in disbelief. Dean had zonked out with his head resting against the passenger window. A half drank, cold coffee jiggled in his relaxed hand. Sam reached out and grasped the cup before it could topple over on his brother or worse spill in his brother's prized seat. It would serve him right, but Sam couldn't be that mean to his brother.

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"Hey!"

"What?" Dean rolled over and nestled into the Impala's seat.

"Time to go." Sam grabbed his brother's shoulder and shook him firmly.

Dean blinked heavily and gazed hazily at Sam "What time is it?" Dean groaned, stretched, and rubbed his head.

"Its afternoon, come on. Let's check this out."

Dean nodded and rubbed his head again before he stepped out of the car. At first glance Dean wasn't sure if they were in the right place, but the neglected Rode Hard Inn sign left little doubt that this was it. "Sam, who in their right mind would want to stay here? This is a true shit hole. "

Including the Impala, two other cars were in the broken, cracked, pot hole filled parking lot. Not that the lot resembled a parking lot much anymore. Both of the Winchester glanced around as if they had discovered a remnant from a forgotten ghost town. "Guess we better look around and check in."

"If we don't fall through the floors." Both men walked towards the door labeled as the office. "Is this the office or the outhouse?" Dean said sardonically.

"I've seen nicer outhouses."

"Think I would rather stay in a port-a-potty." As they shared a brotherly banter moment, the Winchester were taken unaware as man knocked into them. "Hey Buddy, slow down!" Dean yelled as the man pushed his way through and ran for the one of the cars.

His exit was followed by a rotund behemoth of a man, wearing a haggard shirt. It appeared to have been worn for several days, marked by stains and holes. The disgusting man wafted closer to Dean, causing Dean to pull back the pungent smell. His attention diverted down to the man's worn out flipflops. Moreover, his attention focused on the man's left foot and its missing big toe.

"Sorry, boys. I'm out of here. No one wants to stay with that weird shit going on and I ain't dying working in this hell hole."

"We just want to look around. I'm Sam. I work for a newspaper outside of…"

"Kid, I don't care who you are or what you want. See ya!" The sloth like man ran for the other car.

Dean scoffed. "Alone at last. Hold me Sam!"

"Shut up!"

"Whew, I'm just glad I can breathe again. Did you catch the toe thing? Man, the people we get to meet. Just another exciting event in the Days or Our Lives."

"Come ON!" Sam jerked Dean into the office. "At least we can have a look at the register. A piece of notebook paper was taped to the desk as the official hotel register.

"That's nice." Dean's voice dripped with sarcasm. "The stains give it an ambiance."

"Dean, look. There was a Chris Peterson here last night. The mistress said a woman was looking for someone named Chris."

"Could be a connection. We should hit the other hotels."

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**Outside the Empty Arms Hotel…**

"Okay, I appreciate the help Rachel. Yeah, you've been a real help to the Bureau. The FBI thanks you." Dean flipped his phone closed. He leaned against the post of the cheesy, burned out neon sign of the Empty Arm's hotel. Dialing Sam, he fell quite pleased with himself. "Dude, guess what!?"

"I'm on my way out Dean. We have to go."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I called the Ritzy Business Inn."

"Dean, stay where you are."

"Dude, I'm in the parking lot. Rachel told me that Mr. Peterson was registered the nights of those murders.

"Dean, we have to go."

"Apparently, one of them was banging a prostitute right before and another was doing his sister-in-law to be. I'm thinking succubus maybe?"

Spying Sam exiting quickly, Dean flipped his phone closed. Sam was sprinting frantically towards him. Dean chuckled. He knew his brother was excited. That meant Sam had hit hunting pay dirt, just like he did.

"Dean, get in the car!"

"What? I talked to the manager and guess what…Our Chris Peterson was here the night two murders occurred here."

"I don't care. We are calling Bobby in on this one!" Sam grabbed Dean's arm and dragged him towards the Impala.

Dean pulled away. "What is the matter with you!?"

"Nothing, this is just not a good one for us. We'll call Bobby from the road." He grabbed his brother and pulled again.

Pulling his arm away once more, Dean was growing agitated. "Okay Sherlock, what did you find?!? What crawled up your keister?"

"Nothing. This is not our type of gig…Just a wast…"

"Spill it! If you are calling Bobby, it is OUR TYPE of GIG. Otherwise, the cops could handle it. Sammy, I'm not stupid. Something freaked you after we got here. And we aren't going anywhere at all. So you might as well start running your yap now. Unless you want me to beat it out of you." Dean said the last part for fun and to lighten Sam's mood. It didn't seem to help his brother's mood at all.

"Dean. We have to go. You're in danger here."

"Of what! Being annoyed!?"

"The two men that died here, they were…"

"What!!!!!!!!!?"

"They were both womanizers."

"So what, they are males. That's not much of a shocker. Men like WOMEN!"

"Don't you get it, Dean. This thing is going after males- males who are players. One was a guy with a girl in every port and another was messing with a maid right before. His 6 year old son found him dead in the morning. I am not finding you like that."

"Sam, I think you need to get a beer and calm down. I am perfectly fine."

"Does this have to jump up and bite you in the ass? This thing is targeting men like you."


	4. Edge

"Dammit Sam! You think I'm afraid of some spook that has a Jones for guys who love the ladies. That doesn't mean..ARGH." Dean's cockiness and easy snark spilled into his voice, lowering his obvious agitation and decibel level. "Hey, I can't help it if I am a lethal weapon once I get a girl in b..."

"Dean, I'm not joking with you. Ever since your deal, you have been no holds barred."

"Sam...Oh...you have no idea." His eye arched in a tease implying a sexual innuendo.

"I mean it. You take more risks. Risks you shouldn't be taking."

Dean smirked trying to play off Sam's concern, but his brother wanted no part of his playfulness today.

"Stop acting like you don't know what I mean. Ever since..." Sam fumed but he grew quiet for a moment. "Ever since this deal, you have been over the edge so many times, I don't know how to reach you. You go off on your own! You press every ounce of luck! You're not Superman, Dean."

"But I'm pretty damn close." Dean kept his tone playful and amused.

"DEAN!" Sam jerked his brother's arm and moved him a few inches closer. "This is the one time I am not letting you take the risk. How can I protect you if you jump into anything blindly? You have no off button for anything lately- hunts, women and...And it scares me. "

Dean knew his brother was right, but what did it matter if he went overboard to get the job done. It wasn't like at the end of this, he had options. "Sam." His voice grew softer and more tender than normal. "I know. And YOU know I am more stubborn than you, so I ain't leaving."

"Bu..." Sam tried to speak, but Dean put his hand up to tell his brother he wasn't finished. His voice was still even and tempered. "Every hunt is dangerous. None are ever easy. This thing is hurting people, even if they are far from innocent. I can't walk away from that. Don't ask me to walk away from that, Sam...When I die, I..."

"You're not dying."

Dean didn't want to argue that point anymore. "Okay... if I die and I get time in hell. I want as many sons of bitches in the pit with me. Dean added a bit of his snarky flavor and his voice became his normal self. "Figured I needed some company, so I don't get lonely." He smiled at Sam, hoping some of his natural charm would sway his brother over. "If this freakin thing wants to come after me, let it. We'll be ready for it. Just don't ask me to walk away."

Sam bit his lip a moment before he spoke. "This is not a good idea. I don't like that you could be a target."

"Yeah, cause we haven't ever been targets or anything???..hmmm.." Dean cocked his head and flashed a brilliant smile. "Besides, I got my trusty sidekick to keep me from getting into too much trouble."

Sam sighed again. "Promise you'll be careful on this one."

"Sure thing Lois Lane! Get in the car!" Dean chuckled as he swaggered past his brother.

"Jerk!"

"Bitch! Come on…we have to search for Chris Peterson. If we can trace his credit card, then we might have a chance to stop whatever seems to be following him. Once we have his ass, we can find out what it is and slam, bam, thank you ma'am, we are done. We know it goes after men, so we clear out the hotel of all available victims so it has to come for us."

It was a good plan. Sam didn't want to admit it, but his brother was already ahead of him. He had let his worry take over without thinking of other scenarios. "Alright, but we play this like Dad would have- no UNNECESSARY CHANCES."

"Alright." Dean agreed to get his brother to shut up and go along with his plan. Although, Sam didn't look too convinced. "Okay, let's find a place to bunk and you can do your computer wiz magic to get a lock on Peterson's credit card."

* * *

**Midday at the Rose and Thorn Motel….**

"You have got to be kidding me!"

"Sorry, Dean, but there is no trace of credit card use for anyone named Chris Peterson. I've cracked and scammed my way into hotel records, credit card records..ugh…everything… there is no record of a Chris Peterson using his card in the area.

"So he's paying with cash????"

"Looks like your plan failed."

"DAMN IT!" Dean was a little too animated. "I hoped we could find him before we have another death on our hands."

"It's not our fault if we can't save everyone."

"Huh?" Dean was amused.

"What?" Confusion was apparent on Sam's face.

"I just remember a time I said something very similar to you."

"I guess you did." Sam joined into his amusement.

"Okay, we know this guy likes out of the way and less then reputable establishments."

"And he is moving away from the city."

"Where was the first death?"

"A little outside of New York."

"Okay. Tomorrow, we start there. Let's split up."

"Ughh.."

"Just for the afternoon. We know this guy has to hole up somewhere and he is getting further out of town. Let's check out every dive motel after the …ahem…Rode Hard place…." Dean shuddered and sighed. "….to see if we can find him before tonight. Let's load up and I'll take the hotels to the south east and you can take the hotels to the south west.

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Strutting from the South Land Hotel, Dean felt flabbergasted by a wasted evening of searching. Finished with the last hotel on his list, he hoped Sam had better luck than he did. As Sam had not returned from his section of the blocks, Dean took a moment to relax. Leaning against the Impala's trunk, he watched the spectrums of the lowering sun. He hadn't stopped to watch a sunset in years. The day was stretching into the evening, filling the sky with a bright ginger transferring into a burnt crimson into a fierce violet.

He wondered how many more days he had. He figured his brother had a countdown going, but he didn't want to start that worry just yet. Instead he tried to fill his days with as much fun, hunts, girls, and good times with Sam. Later on there would be time for counting. It wasn't like he would ever forget the day. The lost of his brother had torn him apart and drained him emotionally for days. Even after he saw his brother walking around, it felt unreal. He would never tell Sam, but sometime he would wake at night and have to check to see if his brother was in the room- a bit like a father checking on a sleeping child. He felt foolish each time, but then a sense of relief would ooze in him, letting him go back to bed with some peace of mind.

Distracted he didn't notice his brother's return. "What's wrong?"

Coming back to the present, Dean felt a bit embarrassed his guard was down. "Oh.. nothing. Just thinking of the next move. I got squat. South Land, Screwdriver Inn..Who names these places!?"

"Got me.!"

"The Blue Note, The Curb Side- ALL a bust. You?"

"The Hammer, The Dew Drop..ugh..and The Heights were all crap shoots."

"We'll that's just freaking PEACHY."

"You're good plans are turning into a crap today, Dean."

Before they could debate on more plans, a leggy, bubbly, redhead popped out of the South Land. "Excuse me, Officer Dean." She place herself in-between the chatting brothers.

Mouthing officer Dean over her shoulder, Sam chuckled.

"Yeah…Ashley." He quickly remembered her name.

"I know you asked for a Chris Peterson, but I happened to see a Chris Evans. I just wondered."

"Now, Ashley that is some crack detective thinking." Dean started flirting "My partner and I are really impressed. Can you tell us what room Mr. Evans is in? Just between us. We don't want to tip him off, IF he is our man." Dean almost sounded like the cops in some really bad action flick on the 60's.

Sam chuckled as Ashley giggled and twirled in front of his brother. She fluttered out the room number. "He's in number eight."

Dean winked at her and smirked his mouth with a click. "Now, Ashley you go back to work and let us take care of everything."

Twirling again, she turned a few times to stare at Dean as she walked back to her job. He watched her go for a while until Sam punched his arm.

"HEY!'

"I thought we agreed to do this hunt like Dad would have."

"Geez, Sam what are you the Church Lady or something. We have so got to work on getting that stick out of your ass." He was about to go on, but Sam was giving him a stern look.

"If sex were fast food, you'd have an arch over your head."

He straightened up a bit, before another lecture came his way. "I think we need to check Mr. Chris Evan out."

"Best lead we have had all day."

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**Inside Room #8…**

"Kind of rude of him not to be here." Utilizing his expert skill, Dean searched the room so nothing appeared to be disturbed.

"At least we know, he's our guy."

"Speak for yourself, Sam. He's not my type." He found himself laughing loudly. Pulling more drawers open to search.

Scoffing, Sam returned his focus to the floor. He bent down to inspect the salt ring around the bed. "Looks like he found a way to keep it at bay."

A chuckle of discovery spilled from Dean. "And he has more alias than you and me put together."

Sam turned to see his brother had located several IDs. "He could be a Hunter!"

"Yeah..and I'd say he is in a world of trouble."

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	5. Waiting

Watching a small video screen in an adjacent room, Dean waited for Chris Peterson to return to the crappy hotel room. Or Chris Evans or whatever his damn name was. Sam and he took extra consideration when hiding the surveillance equipment. But, if this guy was a hunter, he would be able to detect their presence any way. At least, the Winchesters would have absolute proof if Chris was one of them. After that the only question would be if he was to be an ally or an enemy- like Gordon.

After their search, he took first watch. Sam, having driven here, needed rest more than he did for the moment. Even though it was early in the evening, Dean knew you took rest when you could. It wasn't like hunting was a 9 to 5 job. Sam had started to argue about going to sleep at all, but when he reminded him that all the deaths took place after midnight, his brother gave into Dean's plan. In fact, Sam was more than willing to take the later shift "strictly as a precaution". Dean felt it was a nice way for his brother to say "I'm going to watch you as if you were a four year old." Once he added that he needed Sam to be sharp before they took things on, his brother was content that Dean had planned this out well. Sam had slumped into one of the beds voluntarily.

As Dean watched the grainy screen, he hoped the next credit card scam would be sufficient enough to get them more than this wholesale equipment. Tedious upon tedious hours stretched out. There was little else to do but watch the screen or stare at the cat clock with its moving eyes and tail. Dean thought of shooting it a few times as it chimed softly every hour. The rhythmic sounds of the clock ticking, the screen buzzing, and Sam gently breathing were enough to put a hyper valley girl, after chucking 30 slurpees, to sleep. Dean shook away the lulling fogginess.

As the clock chimed out ten chimes, Dean was thankfully it didn't meow them out. "Ah.. Come on." Dean muttered, but still no Chris entered the room. The room was a vacant as it was hours earlier. For all he knew, the guy be long gone. This may be a pointless exercise in futility.

"ARGGG!" A wide yawn boomed behind him. Dean's eyes rolled and he smirked. He knew the noise well, even if he didn't hear it often. It was the sound of a well rested Sam, a scarcity to be sure on the road.

"Any...THiiiing?" stretched out on another yawn. Sitting, Sam glanced over his brother's back at the screen.

"Nope. Anything good in dreamland?"

"Nope."

"Hmmm." A small chuckle came out a little too loud.

"What?" Sam smacked his lips getting rid of the last bits of sleep before he looked wonderingly at his brother.

"Nothing!" Dean smirked. It was always fun messing with Sam's mind. The time always passed faster this way.

"Dean!?"

"Nevermind, Sam." Dean cleared his throat and scoffed a fake laugh. Thankfully, Sam couldn't see the mischievousness upon his brother's face. Just when Sam was about to become annoyed and demand an explanation, Dean switched topics. "So far, we have empty followed by empty. Wonder if Chris Whats-his-ass is setting up his own trap to get this thing."

"Could be. How it is linked to him, is the bigger question."

"The bigger question is why he isn't thinking of ways to get innocent people out of these hotels. We managed to get everyone out."

"He has picked remote places...and controlling who checks in for a quickie can be hard to determine. Some men are like a door knob, everyone get a turn." Sam nudged his brother's shoulder. It was Dean's turn to roast. He was about to comment too, when Sam changed the topic. He glanced at his watch. "It's 10:00. I'll take over for a bit. GO catch some shut eye."

"Okay, smartass!" Dean whipped out of the chair and bumped into Sam as he stood. "Ohhh.. Sorry….heeehhheee" He walked towards a motel bed and plopped. "Just wake me in time to cover your ass."

"A smart man covers his ass, a wise man leaves his pants on."

He mumbled back. "At least I don't yell 'OH..Paris' in my sleep."

"Shut up and sleep."

"And you were humming some cheesy porn music...Chicka chicka bow bow." Sam readied a retort. As he opened his mouth, Dean blurted dozily. "See you in a few, Mac Daddy."

Sam continued looking at the screen. "Night, Horn Dog. Dean they are going to make a special about you on animal planet one day." He smiled waiting for his brother's next comment, but it became quiet. "Dean..." Sam turned and glanced at Dean's closed eyes and contented smirk. He was being pulled into a sleep drift. One sigh later, the smile faded away as he gently went under.

Sam sighed and returned to his work, with little to do but watch and think. Concern still clung to Sam like a leech upon his soul. So far, his brother had kept his word. There had been no over-the-top heroics. Yet, Sam felt uneasy. Perhaps, the uneasiness he felt was more personal. He was reminded every time his heart beat in a borrowed life, it meant one less moment for Dean. As worried as Sam was, he didn't even want to imagine or begin to understanding how his brother felt. He was trying to make every moment count for Dean, filling the days with as much fun as the job allowed. Sam would have been quite happy to spend the entire year looking for deal break, but his brother wanted to save as many people as he could.

What Dean didn't know was Sam snuck as much time searching for ways to break his deal as he did on their current hunt. In all fairness, Sam was grateful he took after his father in his multitasking ability and focus to details. Every website Sam had encountered, ever contact, and ever half-ass piece of bullshit had been labeled and frittered away. Countless e-mails to any crackpot with a website were cataloged. He had researched jobs to get near libraries with obscure books and get near professors of religion and mythology.

When he brought up the search to Dean, his brother would tell him not to worry about it. They had plenty of time. But, he knew Dean well. His brother wouldn't risk the deal falling through- not if it meant risking Sam again. Keeping the search from Dean had been risky, but luckily, he had outside help too- Ellen, Bobby, Missouri. If Hendricks had the answer, he would turn themselves over in a blink.

For the moment, Sam let the worry pass and focus in on this hunt. Unfortunately, that brought a new worry to wrinkle in his mind. Driven by his need to protect, more so now because of his previous thoughts, he risked looking away from the screen. Swinging out of position, he tromped to the arsenal and grabbed the rock salt. He took a quick glance at the screen as he poured a salt ring around the slumbering Dean's bed- just in case. "No risks on this one," he mumbled in an almost prayer.

The circle around the bed drawn, Sam returned to his post and gazed at the motionless screen.

-------------------------------------------

Blinking his dry eyes, Sam pushed off boredom. He was about to wake Dean as it was 11:45. At least he would have company when, and if, their killer or possible hunter turned up. Suddenly, Sam caught movement in the camera's view. Excitement rose, as a man- a familiar man- entered the room. Sam recognized him instantly.

Hurriedly, he rushed over Dean and shook his brother awake. Dean rubbed his bleary eyes. "We got him?"

"Yeah. Take a look."

Instantly alert, the hazy remains of sleep were flung off within a second. As Dean peered at the screen, he couldn't help but feel the investigation was at least partly solved. "Guess we know he isn't a hunter. And to think he was a rude to us at the first place." Dean stared down at the nervous jerk that had plowed into them earlier in the day at the Rode Hard Inn.

"Yeah. But that just means we have nothing on this guy."

Dean smiled. "We know alot. He isn't a hunter. He is running scared in a hurry. He knows it is after him."

"That's helpful." It was uncharacteristic of Sam to be sarcastic, but part of him wondered if Dean was looking for evidence that wasn't there in his zeal.

"We also know he is an ass and has no regard for anyone else." As if Dean's words were prophecy, the Winchesters watched as Chris slid carefully under his bed.

Perhaps, Dean was right. This man's actions were a clue. "And he knows when it is coming."

DONG……DONG…………DONG……….DONG. The cat clocked chimed in the room

"Where are you?"

DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG…DONG.

"Where are you?

KNOCK KNOCK

"Not in Here!"


	6. Divided

**_KNOCK KNOCK_**

An ominous cry reverberated in the elongated hotel hallway. "Where are you? Please! I need you Chris."

The voice was a beacon, drawing the Winchesters to battle. Arming themselves with an arsenal that would put the mob of Scarface to shame, the brothers were prepared for any type creature. They would have preferred to have answers before the thing arrived, but time did not afford them that luxury. So, a hodgepodge of weapons was the best solution for the moment.

Showing all the delights of a spoiled overindulged child at Christmas, Dean beamed a smile. "SHOW Time!"

"DEAN! By the book."

Before Dean got a chance to let Sam rain on his faux Christmas Hunting Parade, a series of giggles- the kind of giggles that usually invoked Dean's excitement- erupted from the room next door to the Winchester's room. This time those amatory titters wiped the exuberance off of Dean's face. The realization that their hard work to scare possible victims off didn't take into account new people looking for the excitement of a quickie was defeating. "SON OF A BITCH!. We cleared this place and NOW…NOW we get a check in. I'll take Chris asshole-his-face and you get the…ahem…um… neighbors."

"Ohhh….. Ooh….. GARY!" The chuckles soaked thorough the thin permeable walls once more.

"Uh..No… I'll get the guy, you get the couple. Remember, YOU are more of a target than me."

"Sam! This is stupid!"

With no time to argue, Sam bolted towards the room across the hall, leaving Dean to follow his orders for once. One eye roll, a shrug, and an amused smirk later; Dean followed command and was already heading to clear out the increasingly noisy couple.

As the Winchesters barged into the hall, they both expected to face the unknown or at least get some visual on the prey. However, the long, narrow hallway was just as empty as it had been hours earlier.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Where are you? Not here." The only evidence of a disturbance was a disembodied voice sweetly crying and the hollow knocking upon empty rooms. The sickly sugared voice sounded again from the far end of the hallway, a good distance from the Winchesters' positions.

Sam busied himself guarding Chris' door and picking at the lock. As long as the man stayed in the salt ring, he was safe. Sam needed to get in, while keeping the man's safety net in place. He couldn't endanger him, even if Dean thought the guy was a jerk. A pang of guilt and concern spread over Sam, wishing he was making sure his brother was protected instead. "Watch your ass, Dean!"

Dean snapped his head back abruptly and smiled cockily to Sam's concern. Seconds later, he was kicking in the room door and taking care of business in true Dean Winchester fashion. "STELLA!!... Stella… how could you… I leave you alone for one minute." The shrill scream of the giggler within told Sam that his brother was being blunt and quick about his part of the plan.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Not in Here!"

Sam heard the barrels within the lock losing grip and giving away to his expertise. He clicks the doorknob slowing and opens the door to a slim crack before slipping into the room. Sam had no but to abandoned Dean and trust his brother's judgment.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"STELLA!" Dean screamed as he stormed into the room. "Stella, you promised me last time you weren't going to do this again!"

The couple jumped to attention as the door swung loose from its hinges. Of course, being kicked by a determined Winchester left the portal in shambles.

"Get the hell out of our room. Honey call security!" The man dashed from the bed and the woman reached for the phone. Grabbing the wire, Dean jerked the phone line connection from the wall. "STELLA, how could you do this to me again!"

As the man stood, Dean was just thankful his gigglers were not unclothed yet. Thankful, that was, until the man in the room threw a punch to his face.

-x-x-xx-x-xx-x-x

Sam presence immediately stirred panic into the hiding quarry beneath the bed. Thinking his ghostly tormentor had found a way across his protection threshold, he yelped in panic.

"WHOA! Take it easy. I know something is after you. I can protect you."

Chris didn't move from beneath the motel bed, clinging to floorboards as if his very existence depended upon the shelter that surround to him. At least in his mind, it did.

"You can come out of there. As long as you stay in a salt circle it can't harm you." Sam was making an assumption. He had no clue as to what this thing could or couldn't do. Logically, he knew the salt ring was protection and it sounded good at the moment. "You don't have to hide from it."

"WHO ARE YOU!" The man finally shrieked out from his hiding spot.

"Listen, my name is Sam. I protect people from….., well, from the other worldly thing. I can help you get rid of this for good. But for right now, I need your help. This thing is killing everyone in its path to get to you. Running is doing no good. Just trust me. If I didn't know about dealing with these things, then I wouldn't have found you."

Sam's rational seemed to make sense, Chris peered at the boots next to his bed." I can't come out or she will find me."

Sam noted the man knew the thing was a she. He wondered how much the man really knew about that evil after him. "I think SHE has found you everywhere you have gone." The man witnessed Sam draw a new salt circle next to the bed. "Come out and stand in this circle…Please. I will make sure you are safe."

Chris eased out of his own salt creation and stood in Sam's.

"Now, don't move from this spot." Sam's tone took on a military cadence, a tone inbreed by years of hearing it from his father. "I need info and fast, so keep the answers short and sweet and simple."

Chris was about to bicker the fine points of Sam's demands, but Sam barreled through with his intentions. "Do you know what this thing is?

"A ghost, I think." The man's shaky and frazzled voice almost shook out the answer.

Sam watched every nuance of the man's verbal and non-verbal responses. Looking for subterfuge at any moment. Sam had no reason to trust the man.

"How did you find out about salt rings?"

"A fortune teller told me to hide in one in New York. She said something was coming for me."

"Why you?"

"I don't know." His eyes darted in a sign of a lie.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Chris... You're not there."

The frightened prey jumped as the voice echoed in the hall, reminding him that an unearthly stalker waited to kill him. It reminded Sam that Dean had still not joined him and the creature was coming closer to his location. A relief of hearing the bone chilling voice populated within Sam. As long as the killer was searching, she hadn't attacked anyone. Most of all, she hadn't attacked Dean. Still the disembodied voice prompted Sam to quicken his fact finding.

"Have you cheated on a woman?"

"What?" Chris' voice grew defensive, but still showed obvious tones of fear. The response peeked Sam's interest.

"Do you know who the ghost is?"

Sam's interrogation sparked a response flinch. The man's his eyes darted wildly as a lie slipped over his lip. "No. No..I don't know anything.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Chris... You're not there." The voice was closer and stronger now.

The voice reminded Sam to hurry once again. Now, his patience with the liar before him spread too thin. His demanding tone took on an air of hostility. "TELL ME NOW... what spirit is haunting you!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-xx-x-

One member of Dean's happy couple swung a wild punch to at his jaw. Thankfully, Dean's skills as a fighter beat this man's by at least a million fold. He ducked quickly and then jabbed into the man's soft underbelly. The man hunched over and almost collapsed on Dean's shoulder. He easily pushed the man back.

"Get off of my husband!"

"Ah...damn it." The idea of a random quickie had been far from the mark.

The woman in the room swatted at Dean like a weak jungle cat protecting its young in a useless effort. Had this happened in other circumstances, Dean would have found her attempts comical.

_**KNOCK KNOCK. **_"Where are you? You're not here."

"ARGHH.. Listen, I.."

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Not here"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Tell me now. I need to know what happened. I can only break the connection if I know. How does this woman know you?" Sam found himself caring less and less about Chris' safety, but found his focus on the sound of the voice and pounding getting louder.

"I don't know." His stance foretold the last answers were lies and all the upcoming ones would be lies.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-

Dean gave up the con of a man looking for his girl as the woman swatted at him more. He grasped her flaying arm, and decided a bullying approach was not going to end this fast. "Sorry...Sorry." Dean's crafty, impertinent, and swift mind missed no beat in creating a new and plausible scheme. "Sorry, Listen, I just needed to get in here fast. I'm a cop. We have a suspect on this floor. Get out of here fast. I don't want you around when we take him down."

Looking dumfound, the two froze in utter confusion.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_"Not here"

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dean roared in frustration.

-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

The sound of Dean's voice echoed into Chris' room. The hairs on Sam's neck stood erect with a fear hearing his brother's yell. "NO!"

"What!!!!!" Chris began a panic stricken shriek.

"Stay behind me!" Breaking both salt circles, Sam found Chris was resisting his help now.

"What are you doing!"

"I have to lure it here." Sam no longer thought about what was best for the man under his protection, but he wanted to get the creature away from Dean. Really, he wanted to run out of the room and make sure Dean was okay.

_**KNOCK KNOCK.**_ "Found You!"

**-x-x-x-x-xx-x**

**Sorry, I reuploaded- Kept getting the bad link again saying the chapter wasn't available. Updating soon with some LimpWinchesters!. **


	7. Family

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "Chris..why?." Her voice was entrancing and sweet. KNOCK KNOCK "Finally, you're Here!" The hollow plea echoed at the motel door. Even as a season hunter, the emptiness of that sound brought a shiver to tickle upon Sam's spine. It wasn't as much a response to fear, but an alert to his body that something unnatural was about to happen.

"What are you doing!!!!" The response of his momentary charge was the polar opposite. Unreasonable fear clutched at him. In his panic, Chris began to shove Sam in an attempt to escape the so far unseen stalker. He ran at the unsuspecting Winchester with speed of a jungle cat, but the grace of a bull. Sam didn't have time to dodge, but the man's feeble impact only inadvertently knocked Sam down. Unfortunately for Chris, Sam took the horrified coward down with him.

Sam rose to his feet so quickly his movement was little more than a calculated blur. Dark Hazel eyes glared at his new, unsuspected attacker. "STOP IT!" There was no time for this. Danger and death awaited beyond the precious inches of the door. Sam had no way of knowing if it could get in or how to kill it. He thought about leaving Chris to whatever was lurking in the dark, waiting to make a claim on his man. Yet, here he was, defending an unknown person instead of running to his brother's side. Furry and almost pain flashed in his eyes. "Are you stupid! I can save everyone. Stop it." He stared at him, clinching his fist. Sam had begun to dislike this man. He wasn't going to let this skulker get away again, while others were left to be killed off in his place. That was not going to happen tonight.

KNOCK KNOCK. "You're here."

Chris jumped to his feet and swung an uppercut to Sam's jaw. Faltering a few inches, Sam snapped from the initial shock in seconds. His own fist swung into a wide, hard punch. The man's jaw line snapped back as Sam's iron fist impacted, sending the man back to the floor.

Not content to admit that Sam was the superior fighter, Chris swung his legs to undercut Sam's ankles. Anticipating movement, Sam avoided the trap by jumping back closer to the door. Always alert that a new danger could arrive and compound his problems, he snapped his focus to anticipate an attack on two fronts. The move brought Sam's opponent time to deliver a jab to the Sam's exposed underbelly. He bent down in reaction, allowing the man's elbow jab into Sam's face. He took no time to favor the shooting pain to his middle or his face, but his own knee bent high and connected into the man's abdomen with brute force.

Sharp sounds of air sucked into his opponent's mouth and he toppled again at Sam's feet. The coward pushed up from the floor and lunged at Sam once more. Pulling a small knife from his boot, the adversary slashed at a gangly leg. The hunter barely dodged, leaving the knife to cut through his jeans and bring a small slit to his upper thigh. The man attempted to take advantage of Sam's pain and deliver another jab.

Lightening skill moved Sam like water in a sweeping and extending motion. His hand captured and clutched the man's wrist. Before Chris had time to react, his arm was twisted behind his back. The knife flew from the foe's grasp. Sam's next response was far from polite, as he used his long legs to push Chris face down upon the floor.

KNOCK KNOCK. "You're here."

The falling man twisted and flatly rebounded his derriere upon the floor. Sam's boot squished under his opponent's neck."Just stay still. I'll protect you. If you try this again, you will find yourself in more danger from me. Once you piss us off, it's hard to calm us down. Don't move." He hissed, watching the man freeze in fear of Sam's sadistic sounding tone. Sam wondered if he could really protect this man or if he wanted to protect this man. Worse, he didn't care as long as his brother was safe. Sam swung to scan the room for the arrival of an even greater danger. "Dean was right! You're an ass." He barked at the fallen opponent.

KNOCK KNOCK. "You're here."

Panic gripped Sam, he needed to focus on the supernatural murdering menace. His boot held his needy rival down from another attack. Snapping his focus back to the strange pounding upon the door, Sam was ready to end this strange macabre version of hide and seek. Exertion of his battle loomed fatigue in his body, but his resolve was iron strong.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!" Dean growled in annoyance at wasting his time on the gigglers.

The flabbergasted duo started at him with gazed, disbelieving eyes.

"ARRGGG! Okay how about THIS!" Dean said smirking a little as he took out his gun and spun it around his finger. Pulling the trigger, he placed a bullet into the motel lamp. "So, unless you want to get caught in a shootout, I suggest you haul ass. MOVE IT!"

The couple skittered out the door and ran as if the building had just burst in sudden flames.

"GOOD Thinking, DEAN!" He praised himself aloud for finally being able to join the fight.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Much to Sam's disappointment, his wait was short lived. A powdery hued hand penetrated the door that acted as a partition between the hall and the room.

The youngest Winchester had seen apparitions countless times in all sorts of mangled way through the years, but this image was disturbing on many levels. The delicate arch of fingers extended to perfectly shaped fingernails. Besides the haunting color, the image was as perfect as if it was cast in a sculpture. This was more than enough confirmation that the killer was a woman and a spirit, causing Sam to anticipate the useful weapon in his arsenal- a shotgun full of rock salt.

Although he couldn't explain her ability to travel to multiple locations as no other spirit had done before, Sam hoped she would be repelled long enough to get answers from Chris. Below, the man rolled in the pain Sam had inflicted and treaded cautiously under the boot's choking pressure.

Muscles tightened as the full ghostly spectre filtered through the motel door. Ashen powder complexion surrounded saddened, widened child-like eyes, but those eyes burned for retaliation. This fire had sparked in countless lost, vengeful spirits. The phantom of a once beautiful, living woman floated miniature inches. Her body jerked and twisted in a popping motion as if her spirit could not reconcile movement outside of the now missing earthly body. She cocked her head and bore her gaze upon Sam as if she was sizing him up. Finely curved scarlet lips emitted a hollow sound. "Chris. WHY?" Her hand remained outstretched. "You must join us!"

The man slithered from under Sam's boot tread, crawling behind the protection of hunter stature as he cowered on the floor.

The effeminate slayer cantered towards the protecting Winchester. Unloading a round of rock salt, Sam's weapon filled the air with white powder. The spirit dispersed, leaving Sam to scan for the next attacking approach.

Re-emerging, the spirit was inches in front of Sam's eyes. The next salty projectiles blasted the into the ghostly destroyer's face. Screaming, the winsome spectre vanished. Again, the lady appeared this time with such force and proximity, she sent Sam sailing into a wall. Sliding down, he triggered more rock salt as his body twisted. Pain shot from his back to his ribs. His new hurt adding to the previous injuries from his battle with Chris. Still he remained steadfast in his duty.

His blast repelled the determined spirit for the third time, giving him enough time to return his guard over the yellow-bellied man.

"CHRIS???" The melancholy grumble echoed in the room, yet no apparition materialized for Sam to find a mark. Hysteria began to grip Chris to a new low knee-jerk fear response. Much like a Pavlovian response to the sound of his name, he shot up from his safeguarding Winchester protection. Desperation locked his hands together to form a united, clutched ball of fists, cracking harshly at the base of Sam's skull. The protector waivered and crashed to his knees. Leaving nothing to chance, Chris kicked the side of Sam's head, sending darkness to topple upon Sam. As his mind drifted to darkness, Sam's body racketed to the floor.

"Chris? Why?" The spirit of Chris' girlfriend emerged. The former lover wasted no time in completing himself a new salt protection circle.

-x-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-x

"Chris… Why? We were a family." The voice echoed into the hallway.

A dauntless need to join his brother fueled Dean's core. The voice confirmed their prey was within and with Sam. Slamming his shoulder blade into the locked door, Dean's body bounced against the unyielding door.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Aida's enraged wail shrieked against Dean's eardrum.

"SAMMY!"

-x-x-x-xx-x-x-xx-x-xx-x

The fallen Winchester groaned at the sound of his name. Rolling over, he had hoped to find Dean. Instead, the exquisite spirit flickered above him, her hand penetrating his skin and squeezing his heart in her ghostly fingers. An uncomfortable pressure and fullness surrounded his struggling heart. The pain seared through to his shoulders, neck and arms. As the fingers viced upon the restrained organ, the agony spread to his abdomen. Sweat beaded on his pallor skin. A brume of darkness overtook Sam into the obscurity of his internal oblivion.

-x-xx-xx-xxx-x

"SAMMY!" A loud boom sounded and laid the door lock to a molten waste. Dean scrambled through the door, his 45 held firm in his grasp. In seconds, the danger overtaking his brother had been analyzed and the weapon in his nimble fingers was dropping to the floor. His own rock salt loaded weapon flashed into position so quickly, it would have blurred in the human eye. The trigger was pulled equally as quickly. The phantom dissipated, leaving his brother unmoving on the floor.

"SAM… DAMN IT SAM!" He arched his weapon in a circle and hastened to his brother's side. Sam's breath was weak and his heart rate was irregular. "Sam!"

Had Dean been aware of Chris's duplicity in the willingness to sacrifice Sam, he would have shot the man himself. A flash of movement flittered on Dean's left. Not waiting to see if the spirit had returned, He fired, all the while trying to hover over Sam. Behind him, the coward clenched into the safety of his salt ring, waiting for anyone but him to pay for his transgressions. He moved and found the Dean's gun swinging towards his movement.

It was enough of a distraction, and the spirit contacted with Dean's torso, sending him flying to the floor next to Sam. His weapon slid from his grip. As he reached to recover his fallen weapon, fingers sank into his skin and found a target in his life-providing organ.

Dean groaned in pain as the sensation filtered in his own body. His face grew pale from the anguish within his body and discomfort became a burning in his upper frame. However, numb and painful his arms became, they still sought to grasp the out of reach weapon. "GRRR!" Blinding hot spasms caused his skin to sweat. Lightheadness overtook him before the pain of his heart being crushed in the vacuum of this woman's grip. Suddenly, the fingers stopped squeezing and simply lingered within his chest.

"You would never leave your family." The specter's voice sounded sorrowful and sweet.

Through pain, Dean answered "NO…NEVER!"

Her hand eased out of his chest. Rolling from the torment inflicted upon his frame, Dean groaned loudly.

The spectre flickered and looked accusatory. "He has!"

For a moment Dean thought she was telling him something about Chris, but she headed straight for Sam. Dean lurched his body the few inches to shield Sam. "NO!" He could feel Sam's heart skipping below his own beating heart. The spirit plunged through Dean's chest and reached into Sam. Pain shot in Dean again, threatening to take his consciousness away. "PLEASE…he is all I have. Don't take my brother." A sharp sting filled Dean's chest and his mind snapped into the benumbed veil of darkness.


	8. Touching the Spirit

Darkness crawled, pulling Dean into an endless void. He refused to yield to the hostile bleakness of his own blinding pain. Forcing his eyes to open, he ignored the call of surrender that his body demanded. Fortitude of a protector took over and soon the open eyes filled with embers sparking to life. Like a fire rekindling, the beginning of the smoke hazy cleared enough for Dean to see the ghostly sight before him again.

"NO!" The strength of his own voice surprised him. Strength, beyond what his body seemed capable of, spilled out of him again. "STOP!" Despite the ghostly hand plunged into and through his chest, he rallied with an almost impossible will to fight.

But, that effort cost him dearly. When he attempted to speak again, the power to demand had left him, even though the fear of loss was still pushing him on. "No...please..." The words spilled in a slow slur. Weakened fingers desperately tried to graze the weapon just out of reach. "Sammy...wake up.. please...you're all I have...please." Flickering digits barely brushed the hilt of the gun- so close, yet so far away. "Please..."

When his heart tried to beat through the pain and pressure within, a nauseous sickness spread over him. He had not felt such pain since he had been injured fighting the Rawhead. But, this was worse. Electrocution was a cakewalk compared to the knowledge your failure was allowing your entire family to die along with you. He never once imagined a life without his brother or imagined a life of being the only one left. Yet, he had seen that day pass. He had seen that day pass and sacrificed all he had to keep to reverse it. The saving grace that kept the ramifications of selling his soul from driving him insane was the fact he could imagine Sam going on. Now this spirit was forcing him to imagine another thing he never dreamed possible- Both of them dying together.

"Pllleeaassee...my brother..." Dean wasn't sure who he was begging, but the words sprang from his almost unmoving mouth. His reaching hand could barely twitch for the weapon now. Whatever resolve he had, could not stop his heart from crying for a release from the pain- physical and emotional.

A sharp burst of air filled his lungs from deep within his core. Below him, Sam omitted a gurgle. Another sharp burst of air seeped in as an indescribable pain pulled at his heart. The sharp pain lessened, but his heart felt like a fiery knife stabbed into the depths of his body and was destroying him from within. None of that concerned him. The only thought was the creature that was causing him pain was reaching through him to kill the only person that mattered-his brother Sam.

Another groan from below banged in his ears. The sound could have eclipsed the sounds of a sonic jet, although, the sound was whisper soft. "No..no...no...Sam..please."

The stabbing pain twitched in Dean's chest causing his body to jolt in automatic response. He shook his head to try to regain control. His body raged with fatigue and pain. It was then the pain eased and he found the apparition gazing at him.

Her head tilted in awe and curiosity, like a kitten learning to play. Only this ghost was far deadlier. Yet, here she stared at him, like he was a newborn babe to cradle and protect. Outstretching her instrument of torture, her delicate fingers came towards him again. He tried to shake his body to put up all the fight he had left. Instead, his head collapsed on Sam's shoulder. His body crisscrossed partly over Sam's unmoving form. With that final move he collapsed, unmoving and resting half on his brother. Only his eyes could express his determination to protect his baby brother.

Powerless to do anything more, he shuddered when the hand found a new target in expectation of an attack. Shuddering again in a moment of confusion, Dean peered strangely at the placement of her hand. Small movements brushed his cheek and continued. The strokes felt warm upon the angles of his cheek. Their punisher gazed into the fading embers in Dean's eyes, coaxing him to rest. As the last ghostly touch flickered against skin, his mouth opened. "please.." The sound was little more than a structured push of air. With one final head jiggle, his eyes succumbed to the curtain of darkness.

-----

Dean's body was jarred with a disgruntled groan. A haphazard force pushed him forward into a cradle position and a frantic shaking sought to revive him. A larger jolt sprang him awake. Before his eyes could focus, a voice greeted him. A pained, weakened voice called out to him in pleading. "DEAN."

His arm sought to grasp the blurred image. His cupping hand found the side of an unfocused face. "Sammy...oh god.. Sammy…you're okay. Oh.. God.." The relief overtook his weariness.

"I'm fine. Dean, I'm sorry. I should have protected...you." From Sam's struggling words, Dean could tell His brother was not unscathed. His brother was in a state similar to his own.

"Do you think you can get up?"

"No.. I didn't think I was going to get this far." Sitting had taken most of Sam's awaking energy. "Do you think you can?"

"Not at the moment, Sammy." Dean cupped hand tapped the side of his brother's face.

"What is it Dean?...you..."

"Later..." He tapped again before his energy faded and he could no longer hold his grip on Sam's cheek.

"Come on, let's get you up…Just sit up for a bit, then..." Sam pushed a week nudge on Dean's back as a prompt. "Come on…you're heavy and you're killing me."

Dean breathed a chuckle before he scooted and folded his knees, allowing his legs to give momentum to his upper half until his head rested upon the top of his bent knees.

Sam waivered, trying to hold onto his seated position, only keeping his balance by his hand resting upon his brother's back. "Why...did it not.." He hated to speak those words. Sam wondered how he could even ask why his brother was not dead.

"Didn't want me." The elusive tone, although not full of spark as normal, was evident.

"But, we...it was...those men…you…."

"She is not after cheaters." Dean thought back to the sadness in her eyes. The ghost had spared Sam. He had reached her. He had reached some part of her that was still not twisted and she had understood. How couldn't hurt Sam by saying she wanted to hurt those that abandoned their family. "Remember the first victim ditched his kids' school thing...and..." Dean sucked in a labored breathe.

"And one cheated on his wife, while his kid was in the room. She attacked you… but why didn't she ki.."

A large inhale raised Dean's shoulder. "Just lucky, I guess… I am pretty irresistible." He continued to evade Sam's question without giving a straight answer.

"She didn't want you. She is after men who abandon their children." Relief of mind, if not relief of body, washed over Sam. Dean was safe. "She doesn't want you. You have never and would never…" The relief was short lived as realization dawned on him. "DEAN…it… it wanted me…You were protecting me… because…I…I…." His voice reflected deep regret. "Dean, I didn't mean to…I…when I left you and Dad….it…it knew…..it wanted me…and………and you protected me. I hurt you.. to get me!"

"Nah, don't be stupid, Sam." His voice became stronger. "WE got in the way! She came, she sized us up and knew we were like Butch and Sundance. Don't go all 'I need Midol' on me."

"Dean….you don't have to… I know I have a lot to answer…"

"We'll she didn't kill either of us, so if you cannot break out in a Disney Song Moment and give me a moment that would be peachy!" The evanescence sarcasm rang over ever word Dean forced from his lips. He was in pain and Sam was in pain, to add insult to supernatural injury was not a step Dean was willing to take.

His brother snarky ultimatimum of sorts told Sam to drop the conversation. He didn't believe Dean's lie. "Dean…"

"Sam, you have nothing to apologize for." It was the first time Dean raised his head to look pointedly at his brother. "You're just pissed that I figured something out before you."

"Nice Dean, humor… a good deflector… Don't you even want to.."

"Nope. I was right. That's all there is to say."

"Had to happen at least once."

"Hey, I'm always Right."

Scoffing, Sam couldn't resist the urge to play along. His brother could always make him feel at ease. He just wished he could have seen how important Dean was to him and make up for what he said years earlier. "Okay… one word… LULU!" A loud groan told Sam his comment more than hit the mark.

"Okay, that was wrong…REALLY WRONG, but I was hit with a tranquilizer dart."

A smiled slipped to Sam's face. "Sure, but did that make you kiss her…him…Uh… Lulu. Do you know what he…it really was?"

"HEY! It was a Girl! I was impaired. I swear."

"Really? Hmmm."

"SHUT UP!"

"So, uh…ahem…where do we start now? After Chris attacked me.."

"That shit attacked you! OHHHHH!" Dean seethed with anger. "Okay… Chris- last name: So getting his ass kicked- seems to have hightailed it. Just waited for us to take the fall so he could turn chicken and run. We could start with random hotel searches again…"

"Ugh.."

"Or we could always start at the beginning and look at the first reported murder. We do have that Jackass' picture."

"Nice of him to leave his fake IDs. But, …uh….maybe….after we rest for a few moments?"

"OHHHHHhhhhhhhh Yeah." Dean slumped his head back to his knees.

-x-x-xx-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x

Much later in Chinatown in New York City…

Two worn out, but determined, Winchesters bustled along the busy noontime streets.

"So, the first death was found three blocks at the Rangoon."

"The Rangoon! I want to smack the owners of these places."

"It's not like they are on the tourist guide."

"If we find one called the Poopoo platter, I officially quit…………………………………..Hey, Sam… what is a poopoo platter anyway?"

"It's like a sampler."

"Don't think I want to sample. Yeah, I definitely have no desire to try poopoo."

Stopping, Sam stared at his brother in almost disbelief. "Did Dad drop you on your head repeatedly as a child?"

"Nope… he saved that for you."

Shaking his head, Sam smiled and scoffed. "I'm…I'm going to see if I can find anyone who knows where this place is."

"Okie Dokie!" Dean's face spread in a wide grin.

"Don't… don't…don't even start THAT again!"

"I think it's funny."

Sam merely turned and strode off to the nearest person on the street, leaving Dean standing aghast that Sam didn't appreciate his humor. He watched as his brother easily struck up conversations with one person after another effortlessly. Watching for a few moments, he beamed with pride. Sam had inherited the Winchester smoothness, not that he would ever admit that to his brother. He would have been content to enjoy the moment, but a sudden tug upon his jacket sent him spiraling around.

For a moment, his eyes locked on Madam Mysteria's Fortunetelling sign and the blind Asian woman who had jarred him so roughly.

"You have come to the city for answers."

"You're good. I'm looking for a…"

"Ah, many come here for answers, but most fear me."

"Should I fear you?" Dean half joked.

"Only, if you do not heed my words. You seek a man, who has much to answer for."

"Oh, yeah. He."

"You must bring the spirit rest and give her family closure. Her killer must be punished or she will keep killing. If she kills him, his death will only twist her soul more."

"This man, he hurt her?"

"Yes. I could not prevent her fury, but you have. It was your future to help her. AND Protect the living for years to come."

"Listen, lady no offensive, but I pretty much know my future. Kinda have a long range, well a short range, plan."

"You think it wise to joke about your soul? Hmm… so young and foolish."

"HEY!"

"I know what you have done for him. I can see that mark upon you. But, if you do not listen to me, this battle will kill you both."


	9. Normal

-x-xx-xx-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-xx-x-xx-

"For some reason, she could feel the love you have for Sam and she could not kill him… But, this ghost will not be easily swayed as her rage increases. The more she lingers in this world, the more she becomes nothing but rage. "

"How did you know his name?" Dean puzzled.

"Hmmm… That is the easy part of my job. You must severe this link to protect, not only Sam, but the others."

"I'm thinking of giving her that jerk's ass and ending it there."

"His death will not end her pain or her killings."

"Now, your deal…You must not give up. You have been charged with the protection of those that cannot protect themselves."

"You're telling Me! Problem is there is too damn many. And the only one that I need to worry about is.."

"You fight, but you do not fight for yourself. If you give into this deal, the world you seek to protect will fall to ruin. The brother you seek to protect will fall to ruin."

"I can't.. I can't let him." The words snatched in his throat. "I know you mean well, and I am appreciative, but…"

"You must and you will." She grasped his palm and her finger traced over it as if she was marking him. "A blessing to the guardians."

"New friend, Dean?"

He had not noticed Sam's return. Hoping that his brother had not overheard the fortuneteller, he covered quickly. "Just getting a fortune. She said you will continue to be a pain in my ass. She's good."

"Dean…you.." Shaking his head, he let Dean walk away in his brother's usual smugness. Sam felt the need to apologize to the woman for his brother's behavior. "Sorry, he's…"

"There is no need to apologize for Dean. His capacity for kindness and love is immense."

"Okay…uhhh… I…. I just thought he might have.."

"Sam, you must fight for him. If he gives up on himself, you cannot. He will not risk endangering you."

"I will always fight."

"Remember this is not your fault. This was his choice." Grasping his hand, she traced a pattern in his hand too. "A blessing for the guardians." Leaving Sam wondering, she turned to leave and felt her way back into her shop.

"SAM!" Dean screeched back. "Sam!"

"Yeah…" Sam shook off his befuddled moment. "Uh… yeah…I'm coming." He sprinted to the side of the building, which housed a wall covered by flyers.

"Did you get a look at this?"

"What? What..is…?

Ripping a flyer from its location, Dean jutted the paper into his brother's hand. The smiling face of Chris stared back from the flyer. "Chris Kramer…Missing since the 14th'

"Seems we are the only ones looking for him."

"Seems like a new place to start."

"Funny he disappeared the nights the murders started."

"Yep. Let's go."

-x-x-xx-xx-x-xx-x-xx-x-x

Adelina Jordan carried a silver tray of cookies and coffee to her guests. "So, you boys are private detectives. I have to tell you that I can't pay you. While I appreciate the interest…"

"No Ma'am. My brother and I are not here for your money." Dean's eyes sparkled.

"We saw the flyer and we just finished a job, so we thought we would check it out and see if we can help."

Obvious relief washed over the woman. "Thank you. It's just been so hard. I…" Adelina's eye welled with tears.

"Why don't you tell us about the last time you saw Chris?" Sam watched as his brother's hand clasped the shaking woman.

"You're kind. Your boys' momma must have raised you right."

"Something like that. Go on.. Sam and I will see what we can do."

"We were just leaving the Amma Cemetery."

"Cemetery?" Sam jumped back into the conversation.

"My daughter, Aida…she…died. Chris and Aida were about to get engaged before she.. They had exchanged promise rings. And now, Chris is gone. He was so good to my girl. She was crazy about him."

"How did your… I'm sorry… I don't mean to…do you think your daughter's death might have something to do with his disappearance?"

"No… oh.. no. Chris was wonderful to our family even when…."

Sam looked at her pain and hated that they had to remind this woman of loss. "Ma'am, how did your daughter die?"

"She…she killed…."

"I'm sorry. We didn't mean." Even though it was a necessary question, Sam hated asking.

"No, it's not you. I just don't understand why. She was doing so well and seemed so happy. She was talking about having a family of her own. Such a sweet girl. Very giving and then she just…"

"So after the service, you never saw Chris again?" Sam asked.

"No. And I am starting to wonder if he blamed himself for her death. I wonder if they both were in trouble and couldn't come to me."

Wondering was exactly what Dean was doing as thought filled his head. His own observations of this guy were far from flattering. If this woman's daughter got involved with him, there could be more to the story. Worse, yet he wondered if this lady's sweet daughter had become bitter enough to become a twisted killing spirit. "Do you have any recent pics of Chris and Aida? We may need them to investigate."

"Sure. I'll find a couple for you."

"Thanks." Dean waited until she stepped out of the room before he whispered, "Sam, I think we've got…"

"I know. I think we know who our ghost is."

"What did the man do to her?"

"I doubt it's as ideal as her mother believed."

"Yeah…" He stopped as Adelina returned with photographs, handing them to Dean.

"I can't thank you enough. Whatever you find out, I want to know. If my daughter was in trouble, I want to know why she."

"I promise we will find out." The eldest Winchester reassured her.

Dean passed the candids to Sam, who looked upon the face of a woman he had met up close and personal after her death. That beautiful, kind girl was now warped beyond her true self. Sam couldn't help shake the feeling she would not hesitate to attack him again.

-x-x-xx-xx-xx-xx-x

"You know, Sam, I still hate digging up a corpse.

"This is going to be… sickening."

"Wimp." A loud thunk sounded under their shovels. "Okay, lets crack this open and get this over with. Go on, I've got this one."

"Okay, what gives? You're not going to weasel out on the burn? Not going to even try? Are you still bugged about what happened at the hotel, Dean?'

"No..Why are you?"

"Yeah."

"I still think we should let her have that asshole."

"We can't do that."

"I know… it just.. He attacked you, so I still want a piece of that man. I don't like him on general principal. I get the sense that this jerk broke her heart."

"So, it's okay for you to mess around and lie to woman, but not him? Dean, that's some messed up logic."

"Is that what you think of me?" Bewilderment filled him that Sam had such a low opinion of him.

"I'm not trying to get on your case, but you don't have a great record for long term commitments."

"Huh? That's nice Sam. I won't argue right and wrong with you.."

"Dean… I didn't mean…"

"No, Sam. I may be a con. I may tell ladies things they want to hear. Give them an adventure. But I never tell them I will give them more than a good time. I won't lie about that. It's always their choice. I don't promise forever, even if I ever wanted to. I know this game. This life. It leaves no room for those ideas. So, I have a good time- get some action and that makes me like this guy."

"I don't think you're like him!"

"Sure seems like it."

"Dean..."

"I never promise anyone forever cause I never had it to give. And for all those woman,… I'm grateful to them. Cause for a moment, things are normal for me... Is that okay with YOU!"

"Dean… I didn't"

"Let's burn her." A clear message to Sam to drop the subject.

-x-x-xx-xx-xx-xxx

**Later that night at the**** Rayne Motel...**

As the clock turned to midnight. fear gripped Chris from within his salt ring. Not taking chances, he still clung to the safety of a bed covering him.

KNOCK KNOCK "Where are you?" "Not in Here!" Aida's voice said.

-x-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-x-x


	10. Missing Pieces

-x-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-x-x

Stretching across the motel bed, Dean sighed as his muscles screamed from yet another night of digging, salting, dowsing, and flaming. The manual labor was definitely not a job perk, but what could he do. Grave desecration wasn't the kind of thing you could consider to outsource to any freak. Although, he was sure there were some pretty freaky people in the world. He shifted, disturbed by something he couldn't quite figure out or maybe by something he didn't want to figure out. Sometimes, it felt like they were the only ones freaky enough to even consider digging up bodies. That thought was disturbing. He had never developed a stomach for seeing corpses. No matter how horrible the actor on some movie made the smell out to be, the reality was so much worse. Sometimes the taste of stomach acid would involuntary taint his throat, but he had managed to keep himself in check. Thinking of things that were rotten, he supposed the interaction with Sam made him feel more rotten than normal. There it was- the dreaded disturbance in his mind. He just wished Sam would say something now.

Sam had not spoken once all the way back to the motel. Dean always felt unnerved when Sam got quiet. It wasn't Sam's way most of the time. Once they made it to their room, Sam had turned the TV on the Hitchcock marathon, leaving Dean to his own devices. He glanced at is brother, who seemed to be engrossed by the boobtube images of birds attacking at a kid's party. He tried not to over think the logic behind his brother's actions. For all he knew, given his own need to not discuss uncomfortable topic, Sam could have just been giving him space.

Dean had to admit, over the last few months, he had a very successful string of "on the prowl" sexual encounters. However, tonight he wanted to just rest and prove his brother wrong. He knew he wasn't the love 'em and keep 'em type. But damn, he did enjoy the chase- the game- of causing a reaction in females, especially the reactions that were not of the emotional nature. He always thought it was good of him to not lie about calling them or promising them anything that even resembled a relationship. He may be a louse, but even he had his own lines to never cross. Even if he wanted to be with one woman, this life permitted no such comforts. Worse, if one could accept his life and him not being around much, it wouldn't be lonely for them both. He tried with Cassie, but it still felt odd even now.

Worse still, it bothered him that Sam thought so little of him. Finally, deciding this was one of those things to bottle up and not turn it into World War III or a Lifetime Movie, he forced himself to stop thinking. Besides, he could take a little bit of harassment without getting too pissed about it.

Slowly, he drifted, allowing the taunt, anxious muscles in his body to relax as he exhaled. Forgetting everything but the sound of his own breathing, the room and all other sounds escaped him. His mind quieted and he slept for a few minutes until a gentle pressure shook his arm.

"Dean? Get up"

"Whhhaaattt?" He stretched out annoyed and groggily. "You want to talk now?"

"No….uh.. ..Sorry, but we have a problem." Sam pointed to the live news report that had interrupted the midnight showing of _The Birds. _

Dean focused intently on the screen and the image of a news reporter in front of a multitude of flashing lights and police cars. The polished woman began speaking. "Again, police are not releasing the name of the person found dead at the Rayne motel tonight. Officials report that it appears that yet another mysterious death occurred sometime after midnight, when… " Sam snapped off the TV and looked at his brother.

"AAHHHHHH…SONVA… This officially sucks… We torch the bones, she gets another slob. So what in the hell is holding her here!?"

"She has to be connected to something else."

"Yeah Chris! That jackof…"

"I would call that some serious unsettled business… "

"I say we torch him… Come on, Sam, lets burn him...just this once…please." Dean laughed in his fatigue.

"DEAN!" An exaggerated eye roll soon faded into consideration.

"You're thinking about it." A twisted glee tainted Dean's humor.

"I do owe him for the lump on my head, the punch to my…."

"If he would stop running,..."

"The police… The very pissed off spirit of your girlfriend.. Sounds like a lot to run from to me."

"We'll, we are back to square one….with nothing to go on…"

"We have one thing?"

"What?"

"A license plate."

"We never saw his lic…"

"But, we got a picture of it." Sam flicked the picture Aida's mother had provided earlier "A perfect view of a couple, leaning against the back of a car, and a visible license plate."

"Oh.. Sammy.. you've been holding out of me."

"No, just noticed it…"

"Have I told you lately that I love you…"

"Dean?"

"That there's no one else above you."

"AH.. crap.."

"You fill my.."

Sam's hand clasped over Dean's mouth, creating an instant snark barrier." Enough. " He felt a smile morph under his covering hand. It lingered when he took his hand away.

"Okay…Dude, I'm exhausted… You're exhausted. We can't do anything else tonight. "

"Too little, too late."

"Sam, we tried. We can't always save everyone, even if we want to and we do have one more thing….

Sam looked oddly, thinking hard on what other lead they could possibly have.

"…Our bad guy is not a nice guy. What woman would kill herself over THAT!???… If she killed herself, why?"

"That is a question that goes unanswered a lot… no one can answer that sometimes."

"Yeah… but what if she didn't kill herself… what if she had some help."

"Who are you and where is my brother? What's up with the logic all of a sudden?!"

"I hunted without you, you know!... I just want you to feel like you contribute to this team. I mean, I'm the handsome one, the best shot…"

"The most humble!"

"The least I can do is make you feel smarter………… sometimes."

"Dean…you…"

"What?"

He scoffed, giving it up. "And I thought you were mad at me…. Geez… get some sleep. I'm going to get some wheels turning on the license plate before hitting the sack."

-x-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xx-xxx-x-

**Early Morning, Outside the Angel of Mercy Hospital…**

A long arm jutted into a white lab coat, finding it at least a half length to short. "Dean…do you have to scam stuff that doesn't fit." The too tight shoulders of the jacket dug into Sam's armpit. "Did you get this in smurf size." Sam shifted trying to find a smidgen of room in the disguise.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to shop in the Sasquatch section." Pulling on a form fitting lab coat of his own, he smiled broadly at his brother. "Here.. I did get us some name badges."

"Dr. SAM! Dean… no one is going…." Staring in incredulity at his brother, Sam glanced at his brother's badge, expecting to see some macho version of Die Hard or Terminator name appear. "DR. Dean…man, you have got…..…are we related!? This is so not going to work…"

"Come on. We just need medical records…. Piece of cake."

"I hate when you say that." Reluctantly, he followed his overconfident brother into the hospital entrance.

-x-xx-x-xx-xx-xx-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx

"I can't believe that worked.." Sam said as he slumped into the passenger seat of the Impala, pulling uncomfortably on the ill-fitting lab coat. "That was the biggest load of crap you have ever said and it….

"I am so damn good! I am so slick.." Dean opened the report of Aida's death, letting his brother go bask in his impressive skills, until Sam interrupted him.

"Like a weasel"

"Funny… nice one, Sammy. Why don't you click your fingers and see if we have anything, like any hits on our perp?"

"Uh… so far nothing on the fake APB on the plates. A general description was….." Sam glanced up at his quiet and defeated brother. "What…..what is it."

Dean tilted his head. "Dammit….Sam…"

"What?"

Dean looked at his brother in disgust. "Aida was pregnant and we have more problems… "

"Don't see how we can have much more."

"Our ghost….damn it…..she was an organ donor."

"Okay… that's more problems. How are we supposed to find out who receive the donation and if we do"

"Yeah… Not like we can salt and burn the living.


	11. I'm not the GOOD Cop

**Hours later….**

Audioslave blasted through the micro earphones of Dean's MP3 player. Normally, the tape deck in the Impala would be blasting, but parking outside a police station was risky without drawing attention. He glanced at the double doors of the station, hoping Sam would be hasty in getting the info. Even though Sam was not as wanted as he was, it bothered him to let his brother go alone. If someone recognized Sam, it could be big trouble. Moreover, Dean hated waiting for anything.

To pass the time and his feeling of uselessness, he forced himself to soak in the music. Sucking in breaths with the slow rhythm of _I Am the Highway, _Dean tried to focus his fingers to tap out the same beat pattern with little success. The music was not helping to calm his mind in the least way. For all of his strength, he always had a soft spot for kids in trouble. The idea someone could harm a pregnant woman disturbed him. The most likely a connection came from his feeling of helplessness after his Mother died. He vowed no one else should feel like that again, especially his brother or father. It always disheartened him that people threw away their family like it was a commodity they could replace. It killed him to know the word family was meaningless to some, when it was something he wanted so desperately for himself. He blinked back a few wet tears in his eyes, willing himself to detach from the case.

Rubbing his weary worn brow, he tried to fathom how to keep his family safe, which meant finding a way to break the spirits hold on this world. Making the task more difficult, he wondered if it was wrong to relate to her. "Sympathy for a spook. I have been around Sam too much." As he spoke aloud to an empty car, Dean felt more foolish than ever. "Damn it." He hoped Sam's visit to the police station was fruitful and quick.

Wanting to keep the hunter part of him in the foreground, he tried to focus on things he could control. Concrete proofs helped him safeguard that softer part of him. He had already lost that futile battle. The malleable sentimental part of him easily felt compassion for Aida. Perhaps, he even identified with her.

She spared Sam, making it difficult to see her as a ruthless killer. According to that creepy fortune teller, he had touched her heart. He didn't think reaching into someone's heart was much like him at all. Nevertheless, he understood her pain and her loyalty to family. The more he thought of family, the more he wanted to hold onto his own. As the sands slowly ran out on his hourglass of life, the more he wanted to keep the grains from falling. He was spending his last days on Earth the best way he knew how. He knew it was selfish to want more days with Sam. He didn't regret his choice for his brother's life, but facing your own mortality was tough. Lately, the idea of leaving Sam crept in the hidden corners of his mind. On the last day of this year, he speculated how it would go down- Would he cry? Get angry? Fight with Sam? Those questions had been spiraling in his mind, among many other uncertainties. The multitude of possible outcomes made him dizzy some times.

Adding a new wrinkle to those thoughts, a plan began to mix in the whirlpool. If he was going to die anyway, it would be almost poetic for his last act to be in protection of Sam. Manipulation of a spirit was something he never attempted before, if it even worked. In an odd way, if you looked at it, he was leaving the last of his family. If he could focus on that aspect of the deal, then perhaps manipulation would be possible. He would be her target and no one else. Decision made, Dean liberated his mind to the music, closed his eyes, and waited for Sam to return to the Impala.

"Hey!" Sam bellowed before he had opened the door.

"I'm not deaf, Sammy. Whatcha got."

"Couldn't get near the records. Internal Affairs is investigating one of the cops in there and it's a mad house."

"Feels like we are hitting our heads against another brick in the wall."

"Yeah, but uh.. I got some info anyway."

"Yeah…Sam Winchester….you must be getting better at this."

"Stephanie, the coroner's assistant, was on duty that night..."

"Steffi... hmm…"

"Don't start…She is a lovely girl…"

Dean smiled and raised an eyebrow.

Sam chose to ignore the suggestion, even though he had to admit he did enjoy flirting with Steffi. However, that piece of information he could keep to himself. "That night, Chris Kramer- our favorite jerk of the week….called in that his girlfriend hung herself. He found her. Called 911…Said she was breathing when he cut her down, but weakly, then she just faded our on him. Attempted to provide CPR. Practically beat her chest so much, it left severe bruising.

"Nice way to cover up a beating or foul play."

"But Steffi thinks something is funny… course the coroner told her to mind her own business… She gave me a peek at the coroner's report. Saying it was sparse would be too kind. The only thing it noted was it was a suicide, the time of death, and the fact Aida was in the early stages of pregnancy."

"I don't like this Sam. She hardly seems the type to kill herself and this doesn't sit right with me. I just can't imagine it being the peaches and cream relationship that Aida's mom thinks. Her spirit is too focused on abandoning family for her to do that to her family and her unborn child. She was not the type to leave her family like that." Dean realized too late his words hit too close to home. Admonishing himself for not thinking, he tried to push on and not let those words linger. "This Chris guy…"

"Dean...I'm sorry…" The thoughtful sweetness dripped over his apology. "I want you to know. When I left, it wasn't because of you..."

"Doesn't matter...water under the bridge...?"

"Not for me...I know you watched out for me, even then….and you tried to keep contact, even when I was a jeer"

"Sam...You're here now. Let's focus on that. We need to put this spirit to rest. I just want to find this guy and fix this."

"She just wants her family...like I…"

"Yep! Just for speculation...what if that is what she wants? She's lost because her kid is gone. Some part of her is still in there…still capable of reason or she would have killed yo..." Dean stopped his mouth mid-sentence before he could stick his entire foot in his mouth. Today was not his day to think clearly and he didn't want to hurt Sam, not like that.

"She would have killed me." Sam uttered matter of factly. "Dean, I'm not stupid. I knew it back in that motel room when she attacked me... No matter what you say, sometimes the things we do come back to haunt us. You don't have to protect me."

"Wrong! Do you think I care about that now!? Sam….damn it." Dean's emotional check system hit full on failure, letting his voice cracked ".….none of that matters now…AND I DO have to protect you……if you so much as give me any lip for that, I swear..."

"Thanks." Sam's wide eyes glistened as he displayed a sheepish grin. It was an attempted at gratitude for Dean always being there to save him and for not making him feel bad about things he had come to regret. He didn't regret Jess or the experiences he had in college, just that he put Dean in the middle a lot back then. He wanted to explain the choices he made, but realized he didn't have to explain. His brother already understood, and for that, he loved him all the more. "Really….I know what you have done for me…always done for me…"

Dean responded with an amused sigh and a bit of uneasiness "We'll...yeah...just…uh..." Pushing himself away from things that hurt too much, Dean did the typical wall projection. 'Uh….So, uh.. What now? We just wait until Chris shows his face...or at least his car."

Sam let the moment pass. Enough had been said. Now was the time to look forward. Sam opened his laptop and started clicking. "We have little choice in the matter. I am starting to think we should let Aida have a crack at him.

"Won't hear me arguing that one."

"Or we could not wait. His car was seen just outside of Newark, New Jersey. And only four hotels are near this location." We should be able to make it there and find him before night fall. Sam smiled as the info splashed his computer screen from his carefully hacked BOLO.

"I think I have an idea…"

"You know when you say that, it scares me."

"Now, only one thing needs to be settled." A wide grin snaked on Dean's lips.

"Huh?"

"Which one of us gets to kick his ass first!

-x-xx-x-x-xx-xx-xx

The non-gentle blaring of _Rock me like a Hurricane_ erupted from Dean's pocket. He didn't need the Chinese fortune teller to know it was Sam reporting in. "Yeah?"

"I checked my two…and found nothing…no Chris registered and no one recognizes his picture. Anything on your end?"

"Nah…Sorry, Ponch…it's a bust……meet you at the car in a few." Dean didn't give Sam time to say goodbye before he clicked his phone lid to close and stuffed the cell back in his pocket.

A Grinch-ish smile upturned on his lip as he leaned forward. "Now..." His face drawer closer into the face of a man, whom had been bound and gagged. "I don't want my brother to see what I have planned for you. See... you messed up bad…. You had to attack Sam. He is what you might say the very good cop….Me…Not so much…" Dean clicked his mouth. "I'm already working on a one way ticket to hell, so I have nothing to lose.

Chris shook uneasily in the chair, frantic to free himself as this skilled hunter stared him down. His eyes flinched and a girlish squeak came through his gagged mouth.

"USUALLY, when anything hurts my family, I put a bullet in its skull. Think that would work for you." Dean pulled his magnum from his waistband at this back, gracefully putting the barrel against Chris' head.


	12. Dean One Step Closer to the Edge

-x-x-x-xx—x-xx—x-x-x-xx-

A smug, feral, smirk curled on Dean's lip, alerting his captive of the sheer enjoyment Dean was going to receive from inflicting pain. "Now, I think you and I need to have a heart to heart. See...no one puts my brother in danger and lives to tell about it. We'll I did let the bully in his 3rd grade live, but that kid still walks a bit funny..." His smile broadened to almost demonic portions.

Chris' eyes darted between the gun pointed at him and the face of his captor, obviously, not use to being a prey to a more dangerous predator.

"See, Sammy ...well...he's my brother and you left him to take your place in YOUR Mess." Dean clicked his mouth in a tisk. "And you hit him! I don't like that." Dean hissed with venom. "I don't want him to see what I have planned for you. You messed up. Got on my bad side. That's not a pretty thing." Dean returned his gun to the small of his back. "And we got several hours before I let your ghostly girlfriend finish you off. That seems only fair."

Chris grunted at the news that he was on a time clock of pain and torture that lead to his death.

"Oh...what's wrong! Can't take punishment like a man." Dean stepped forward and hunkered down. With his adversary at eye level, he arched his fist at full strength with a hard right hook on the side of the guy's cheek and jaw. Against his knuckles, the prisoner's jaw popped and the force dropped the chair like a stone to the floor. "Opps."

Kneeling down, Dean started at the stunned man. "Oh.. Sorry... Did you hurt yourself? Hurt your head?..." Grapping the man's by the hair, he knocked it against the floor. "That's better!"

The bound and gagged man moaned and twisted trying to escape the chair holding him in place on the floor. Grunting and sparking with anger, he muffled curses under his gag.

"Settle down, darlin', ya got a bad head bang there." Belittling and badgering, Dean scoffed in the man's face. Finally grabbing the rope that bound the chair, he pulled the chair upright again. Circling his hostage, Dean whirled about to look down at him like a god would down upon high. "I don't know about you, but that kinda felt good for me." Dean smirked as the man grunted obvious obscenities and threats beneath his gag. The eldest Winchester morphed his face to fake curiosity. "What... what was that...oh...you got something to say...Okay."

Approaching his captive with a displayed overconfidence, he hid his cautiousness under the mask of anger. He couldn't prove it yet, but he knew in his gut and heart, this man killed his own child and girlfriend. Worse still, he let others die while cowering in safety. But, for Dean, the ultimate betrayal above all others: Attacking Sam and leaving him to be one of those to die.

Instead of lowering the gag, Dean bashed a new blow to the side of Chris' face. The chair wobbled below, but Dean didn't stop. He struck again with his other hand, landing another blow from the left. A trickle of blood spilled from the man's lip, staining the gag. Dean's fists jack-hammered forward.

As Dean let the stress and revulsion of this hunt get to him, he swung another blow from the right, impacting just below Chris' eye. This time the chair wobbled over and the captive thudded to floor once again.

"Oh…My Bad! Sorry." He was anything but sorry. Crouching again to relish Chris' just deserts of punishment, Dean looked disappointedly at his victim. "Sonva..."

His captive was out cold, bleeding and bruised from the strikes of Dean's fist. He tugged the man's hair to roll the man's head to face him. Even with the force of Dean's jerk, the man showed no signs of waking. "We'll you're not that much of a tough guy are you!? Freakin' weasel." Dean spouted, releasing his grip and letting Chris' head smack back down against the floor.

-x-xx-x-xx-xx-x-x-x-x-xx-x-

The icy chill of almost arctic waters splashed harshly over the unconscious face, sending a shock of alertness to the Chris "Ooooff" The guy's mouth formed a round "O", forming an expression on his face of an unintentional mix of comic surprise and sudden shock.

"TOO cold… I just can please you today!" Dean chuckled. "Welcome back."

"You motherf..."

Dean leaned down and backhanded Chris' face. "Be nice… Or… I might have to shut your mouth for you. I can gag you again, but it's time we had a chat…..So…..How do you like your new digs? Picked it especially for you… dirty, a place of users…and empty!"

Up until that moment, Chris had not noticed his new environment. The shock of returning from the darkness of oblivion had not provided him time to assess his current situation. His captor had freed his legs, sitting him on the dirty floor. He was restrained by his hands form a structural support of some abandoned factory. He glanced around, realizing and Dean were alone. The only protection was the wide circle of salt around him and his tormentor. The fear he felt earlier paled in comparison to the frantic dread he felt now.

The confines of a small factory, which had been used as a sweat shop at one time, was the best place Dean could find for his plans. "You like it. Thought it was poetic. People living and feeding off others seems to be a theme here. This place was used to box people in… no windows…all enclosed, so no one can help you. And no one is around for miles, so when you go... no one will care if you scream. Hey, if a killer dies and no one is around to hear it, does he make a sound?

His detainee, too shell shocked to answer, looked at him blankly."

"What!?! Did you think that was funny… I am having the best time!"

"You plan to kill me? Why!!!!… I thought you wanted to help?"

"That was before. See, I'm tired…. SO….so damn tired. I have fought all my life to protect people…. Lost a lot of people I loved… gave all I had to give and you….AND YOU AND others just take…." He grumbled enviously. "See, I couldn't let anyone else get in the way of our chat. Sooner or later, Sam would have figured out I lied to him and I am not getting him near your problems this time. It's me, you, and in about five… ten…. minutes.. Your ghostly date. She likes to show up at midnight…right?... See all the deaths happened at that time. So, I figure you have a few more minutes to kiss your ass goodbye."

"It's not midnight yet, we have time to get…"

"Oh, but see you had a little nap and well the day just passed away." Dean propped himself on aged wooden box, waiting for his prisoner to register the hysteria of his impending doom. "Of course, I could save you, but I don't want to."

"Please!" The man whined.

"Please?...hmph," Dean mocked. A hard edge of bitterness followed mixed with a tone of righteous indignation. "Did your girlfriend say please!?! I kill these demons, ghosts, and shit no one would ever believe… AND FOR WHAT! So you can kill an innocent and turn her into something perverse and unthinking... No man...I am tired. It's time that people pay for what they do."

"Please, help me."

"NO! I'm ending this… I'll just sit here and let her have you. You're a sick user…and..." Dean scoffed in distaste.

"You can't do this…. "

"Oh... I won't have to. Aida will be doing that. Just have to wait..."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"We'll HELL , looks like the wait is over. Got any last words... PRAYERS?! I just need to break this ring and Bam…my job on this one is done."

"You can't do this to me!"

"At least you had a better chance that Aida. What chance did you give to her!?! The police may buy your crap, but I don't! These overworked cops don't have time for all these murders in New York, so they bought your story. You killed her and ran… but she came back. You didn't count on that! " Dean remained stationary on his perch, watching the panicking man.

"Please! I didn't …"

"Don't lie to ME! Tell me she didn't beg you! That she loved you and you betrayed her! TELL ME!"

"No... Save me... don't let her!"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"You SON OF A BITCH! Do you know what I would give for my family... WHAT I HAVE GIVEN! AND You… you just throw it away! TELL ME WHAT YOU DID!!!"

"I... I….. I"

"Did she beg?" His voice was calm and sickened. A striking difference from his previous questioning. An almost sad tone held on his words. "Did she? Did she beg for her child… huh... YOUR child's life?"

"Help me! Now…"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"NO!" The sheer timbre of his voice raged like thunder and stirred an echo in the rafters. The beryl of is eyes flashed distaste, but his tone lowered, seething with repugnance. "Tell me… did you kill her? I know it was you." An ire crescendo started to build again in his inflection. "You, selfish weasel bastard, you killed her. She's not the type to killer herself. So, you better start talking now… TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"YES….I…..I killed her." Chris blubbered. "I…"

"You what! Waited till you got her pregnant and decided it was a good time to HURT her."

"I couldn't have a KID… she"

"SHUT UP! I don't need to hear anymore. No reason you can give will ever be good enough!"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Please help me!" The captive had resorted to begging and whimpering.

"I have all I need." Dean turned to his side and messed with an object that was covered by his jacket.

"What are you doing!?!!?? Are you going to shoot me!?" The con man alarmed, thinking Dean was going for a weapon again.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

"Oh… it's SHOWTIME!!" A glib undertone spilled from him. Turning his back on Chris and walking towards the door, Dean smiled a genuine broad smile in a sense of accomplishment.

"NO… you said you would help me."

"I lied." The brazen happiness filled the fibers of Dean's being.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Creaking from rust and age, the door struggled to open. Dean was undeterred as he had pried the same door open earlier. It didn't take long under his strength, to swing open fully. A towering frame stood in the doorframe, sporting his own pleased grin.

"Sam, I would like my Emmy now!"

"Emmy…Phbbbttt... I'm thinking OSCAR. You started to even scare me. I thought you might actually off the guy. Did you get his confession on tape?"

"Just turned it off. It's under my jacket."

"That just leaves us one thing to do!"

"Yeah….I know." The pleased moment dripped off of him as easy as rain.

"Dean, it's the only way and you know it."

"Doesn't mean I like it or she deserves it."

"You know that I agree with you. Aida deserved better…hell…. She deserves better still… BUT, we can't let her go on killing. No matter how WE feel. We have to trap her forever. There just isn't a way to end her connection here."

-x-x-xx-x-xx-x-xx-xx-x-x-xx-x-x-xx-x-x-xx-x-x


	13. Stand Alone

"WHAT...you're!" The captive seethed. With the door opening to the outside, the prisoner surmised it was obviously much earlier than Dean had told him and the danger to him less than he was informed. "YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH!"

"Sam, please shut him up!" The sudden weariness of the situation wore on Dean's momentary triumph of getting Chris' confession.

The man continued a barrage of slurs and condemnations about the Winchesters as Sam bent down to stare at the prisoner. Sam complied and agreed with his brother's request, gagging the guilty party, leaving only the minimal grunts to sneak out of the gag. Every once in a while, Sam could make out the obscenities the muzzled man spouted. Before he stood to rejoin Dean, he stared into the man's eyes and spouted with venom. "I wouldn't press my luck, buddy. Best to shut up!"

"Thanks, Sammy." Dean pulled himself on an empty crate, leaning his head against the shatterproof glass of what used to be the manager's office.

"Can't say I want to hear anything he has to say either." Sam scooted next to his brother, impolitely requesting room with his elbow- His actions full of purpose. He had missed the interactions with his brother lately. "Shift over. So, we have our bait ready...the only question is where you want to go after this end..."

"Let's get everything ready." Dean jumped to his feet, leaving his dusty perch. The place where his head leaned again the glass smudged from his movement, cleaning a small space in the glass and exposing the criss-cross pattern of the wire glass. He strutted beyond Sam a few inches and opened the office door. A weapon stock pile waited within, hidden earlier to prepare for the ruse and the battle.

Sam's concern sprang forward as he jumped off the crate. Joining his brother in the small office, he was alarmed at the withdrawn expression on his brother's face. When Dean got quiet, almost brooding, it worried him deeply. He had learned the signs well. Dean quiet equaled Dean disturbed. Although, Sam wondered how either of them kept from not being disturbed with all they had seen. "Dean?"

"I'll lay the salt rings." Dean ignored Sam's obvious concern and began to work, pushing aside Sam from the office door. He started drawing partial salt ring protection on the floor in various elliptical rings, like a strange radiating sun or the celestial bans of Saturn. Carefully plotting random breaks in pattern, he moved the elliptical pattern around a specific epicenter- their captive, Chris.

Sam stood dumfounded on what to say as he watched Dean plot out the complex rings. "Dean?"

"I'll take care of this…Just...just do your geek thing...look for something... anything that might help Aida..."

"I took me hours to find a spell…a…a…incantation that might work. You know I've looked at every option- everywhere..."

"Look again!" Dean barked the order in a huff and fluster.

A polite and understanding smile sneaked on the cherub cheeks. "Sure...it can't hurt." Sam responded quietly.

The sensation of shame smacked Dean, who felt almost brutish for yelling at his brother. The sweet sympathy of Sam's childhood eyes reprimanded him more than any words ever could. "Sorry...sorry, Sammy...I just meant...I..." He bowed his head sheepishly and rubbed his palm upon the back of his neck.

"Yeah….. um…. We do have some hours to kill before it's actually midnight. It couldn't hurt to look again- just to pass the time." Sam rationalized. Yet, in his heart, he knew the search would be for Dean and not provide any new information.

"Sounds good, Sam...Sounds good," Dean uttered blankly as if he acknowledged a superior office in a planned military strategy. His tone warped into the one he used to obey his father time and again. Instead of a "yes sir", this time a "sounds good" monotoned his voice.

Sam grimaced, but decided that pulling anything from Dean took great effort and the best timing in the universe. Now was not the time. Now, it was best to let Dean fly on automatic. Secretly, he told himself "maybe later".

For what it was worth, Dean smiled at Sam's quiet understanding, which left him to do his part, albeit halfheartedly.

-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x

The soft ticks passed by louder than any clock chime in the stale silence of the factory. The emerald irises gave under to the black focusing on the ever moving second hand. More than ever, Dean hated waiting for the time to pass. Countless hours of his life had whiled away, waiting for something to appear or waiting for something to attack. It had not been a great concern in most cases, always happy to send evil where it belonged. He witnessed humanity in the twisted spirit. A humanity that made him feel indebted to her. She wanted what he always wanted: a family.

"Dean?"

Looking forward, Dean didn't register the voice of his brother. Instead, he focused on the room to adjust for final preparations. Three interwoven circles whirled around the room. All ready to be completed. The innermost circle spiraled around Chris- the bait of the trap. The next band had candles, a glass container, a spell book and matches ready for a performance. The outer one was empty and the planned safety zone.

"Dean??"

"Oh... sorry... just..."

"Yeah, it getting close to midnight and it still sucks we have to do this!"

"No...I...I MEAN this does suck, but I was thinking about..." He nodded in disbelief. "A couple of years ago, I would have said...blow it away- just blow whatever it is away. Now, I keep thinking..."

"Good. That's what makes you my brother!" Sam voiced proudly.

"Sam. Let's just not start a Lifetime movie moment here. I just think the world is so damn ugly...people are damn ugly. And lately, the humans we have encountered have been just as horrid as the creatures we kill. And when I find a shred of humanity…"

Sam's mouth warped apologetically before he spoke softly and reassuringly. "I know, but look at what we accomplished. We saved a lot of people from the things we could- put some living people in jail where they belong. I guess saving even one matters. My wise ass older brother once told me he could handle this job because of the ones he saved."

"Doesn't mean I have to excuse the ones we don't save. You can't tell me you're okay with that?"

"Nope..." A dreaded distance deadpan spilled in. "...and I don't think WE ever will be."

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The time for discussion was over to Sam's dismay. The moments when Dean let his guard down were few and Sam liked not having to pry. Fate had afforded a few seconds, whether it was enough or not. "READY!" The question rang like a battle cry.

"READY… Oh….CRAP"

"What?"

"Sam….where is my salt gun?"

"You had it earlier!"

"Yeah I know… I must have left in the office. Grab it for me. I'll get ready to finish the ring around the jackass here.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Sam hustled in the room, but saw none of the weapons, supplies, or materials they had earlier. A loud boom slammed the door shut. At first Sam thought the spirit was up0n them and she had divided him from his brother. That thought dissolved as he heard something wedge against the door.

"DEAN! What's going on!" A thousand things that might have gone wrong filled his head. Those thoughts flung away just as quickly when Dean rubbed the dirty glass clean.

"Sorry, Sammy. I can't let you near her."

"You set me up. Dean, don't face her alone! I can protect myself. ."

"I'm sorry, but I can't let her take you."

"YOU LYING SELFISH BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Dean's finger traced the crisscross black grid pattern on the glass, almost waving a goodbye to Sam. Quietly he looked at his brother. "Yes I am selfish."

"No! I know you aren't… but I don't need you to do this. You told me that we needed to end this and you were right. I am not afraid to face Aida."

"We'll I AM!"

Sam gasped back almost bumping into the old desk of the office, looking at the pained, loving expression on his brother's face- a look of a child watching his parents abandon him. The expression mirrored on Sam. "No, Dean….please… don't… don't shut me out this way….if anything happens to you!" Sam's anxiety increased tenfold. For his brother to admit to fear was damn near impossible.

Rubbing his weary worn brow before he spoke, Dean didn't try to excuse what he was doing. "I want to try to save her. I know it sounds crazy. I owe her."

"WHAT!!!!!!!!! How can you owe her!?!"

"She SPARED YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He raged the truth out in a primal scream, and then took a few breaths to regain quiet. "I beg her to….to not take you and she spared you ONCE. I don't want to take the chance that she won't this time. Please Sammy... Please understand. I…I know there is a human part inside her."

"I understand. Let me save her with you! Don't leave me out…" Sam gasped. "That's what you're doing! You're leaving me… she'll feel it… NO! DEAN! NO!! You don't know if that will even work and if it does….DEAN! We stand together!" His pleas were useless, Dean turned away and walked away to battle Aida alone, leaving Sam to watch helplessly through the dirty safety glass.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	14. Shattered

Dean had sealed the office door with rock salt, keeping Sam safe from their newest quarry. All he had to do was wait for his plan to knock and come for him.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. "Let me in, Chris. Please." The same sickly, sad, entrancing, voice called.

"DEAN! No… don't do this… you do this I swear… I'll…" Sam yelled. Again, much to Sam's disappointment, his demands and wait were short lived.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK "You're here."

A powdery hand penetrated the door of the warehouse with delicate fingers arched, reaching out. The same porcelain sculpture perfection flashed in front of Dean and his two captives. One below him squirmed, trying to flee. Sam beat on the glass, trying to break free to help him.

Chris' muffled grunts and Sam's screams filled the space and slammed against Dean's ears. The burning sense of guilt and trepidation swished inside Dean's guts. His muscles tightened as the ghostly woman came closer, just floating pass the first of his broken salt circles. .

"Dean…let me out! Dean!"

Dean ignored his brother and poured salt to complete the ring around Chris. Now, both men in his protection were safe, leaving only him in harm's way.

"Aida…I know you can hear me. You spared my brother- my Sammy. I want to help you."

"Chris!... why?"

"Please, listen to me. I'm Dean. Do you remember me?"

Her saddened, widened child-like eyes still burned with anger. She glanced at her lover behind Dean's protective circle, and then she turned to view the captive Sam.

"Yeah, you can't have him. I can't let you do that."

Her body jerked and twisted in a popping motion as she cocked her head. Her gaze fell upon Dean. "WHY?"

"Cause this is not who you are! You have to remember who you are…. You need to go on!"

Her hand remained outstretched. "You must join us!"

The slayer whirled towards her only possible target. "You…you are leaving him."

"Yes! Damn straight I am!" Dean focused on his guilt of leaving Sam behind, hoping it was enough to keep her focus on him. Unloading a round of rock salt, the air filled with white powder. The spirit dispersed, giving him time to complete the outer circle.

Re-emerging, the spirit appeared, trapped between the lines of Chris and the outer circle. The inner one was all that was left. If the sprit came on either side and he had opportunity, he could keep her away from him and everyone until he freed her. The Chinese woman told him he had to reach her and he believed it was true. For once, Dean Winchester was going to set something right, hoping for a happy ending. As the spirit moved further in, he risked completing the inner circle.

"DEAN!" Sam pounded on the glass, seeing the spirit fly towards his brother again. DEAN… no…" Sam grabbed the office chair and started rebounding the glass like a madman. The chair bounced repeatedly without any signs of cracking the wired glass. All Sam could do was watch as the spirit gripped his brother.

Aida hammered into Dean's chest, sailing him back towards the floor. He tried to fire as he fell but he missed the ghost by at least a barn length. His back impacted with a thud, sending pain up his spine.

"CHRIS???" The melancholy grumble echoed in the room. The bound man wiggled in almost hyperventilation. "Chris? Why?" We were a family." The voice echoed. "AHHHHHHHH" Aida's enraged wail shrieked against Dean's eardrum.

"DEAN!!! GET UP!!! MOVE!"

The fallen Winchester groaned at the sound of his name. Rolling over, he had hoped to find Sam, despite his plan- despite Sam's captivity. Instead, the exquisite spirit flickered upon on him. Her hand penetrated his skin and squeezed his heart once again. His body jerked in new pain and memory of being at her mercy once again. The tightness seared through to his shoulders, neck and arms as if a vice squeezed his insides to fold upon themselves.

"Dean…no…" Sam slammed the chair again, throwing it harder and harder. "No… take me… leave him alone…. No… DEAN!" A loud boom sounded as the chair slammed again. Sam heart skipped a beat, remembering his own experience. "NO!"

Darkness clawed, pulling Dean into an endless void. "NO!" His body jerked in pain as the grip on him tightened. He turned his head, knowing it was over, wanting to see Sam one last time. In a second he hoped he could somehow tell Sam how proud he was of him, how much he would miss him, how much he loved him, and how sorry he was. The sadness and love in his eyes glared and cried out to the enraged man behind the office glass.

"NO! Don't you give up… NO!" Sam saw the way his brother flopped and the energy leaving him. "STOP! NO… please don't….No...please... he's all I have...please."

"Sammy…." Dean slurred, reaching out his fingers towards Sam.

Sam slammed the chair again and again, trying to reach out to his brother and hoping he could stop the spirit before him. He never once imagined a life without his brother or imagined a life of being the only one left. Yet, that day was coming and he would be damn if that day was today. "Leave my brother Alone!"

The stabbing pain twitched in Dean's chest causing his body to jolt. And again, the pain eased and he found the apparition gazing at him. Her head tilted in awe and stared at him, like she had before. Shuddering as his heart tried to return to normal, he felt cold fingers brush his cheek again. "I'm sorry, Sammy." Dean meeked out as his eyes began to roll.

A pained, weakened groan spill out and the sound was as loud as a yell to Sam. "No... No... No... Dean... please."

"You lied…you do not want to leave him." Aida's voice became softer, sweeter. Dean imagined it was how she was before her death.

"DEAN! Please…" Again the slamming of the chair echoed. The window shook with each strike, sending the quivers into Sam's fatigue drained arms. The shivers of the strike sent agony on his limbs, but it was nothing compared to the agony of watching Dean suffer and die. Sam didn't stop his assault on the window. He kept screaming for his brother, watching the spirit m, and trying to break the glass. His only thought was to reach Dean.

"You would never leave your family." The specter's voice sounded sorrowful and sweet.

"I don't want to… But…you are!' Dean forced out. "You are leaving your family alone!" He gasped at trying to speak.

"Chris…"

"He's not your…..family…." Dean breathed through the pain.

"Dean! No don't anger her! Please..." Sam screamed.

"Your baby… your family… they don't want you do this."

"My baby is dead! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH"

"Your baby ……hhh…..ughh….is waiting for you. She needs you. I know… it hurts like hell." Dean breathed harshly and pain filled his eyes with wetness. "I can't imagine … lost of a child….But…losing your family rips a hole in you…burying all you have to darkness… Don't let the darkness take you. Your baby….is somewhere safe now.

Seeing his brother struggle and try to reason with Aida, gave Sam new resolve. "ARRRGGHH" He screamed as he tossed the desk chair as hard and a far as he could. This time a crack appeared in the corner. With newfound persistence, he slammed again, watching the crack get bigger and bigger as it finally cracked and splintered. He threw the chair one final time, sending it crashing through the other side. He wasted no time, jumping out the opening, scooping up a salt gun and scrambling to grasp Dean. He skidded to his knees, like a runner going for home. And he was. He was going for the only home he had ever known: Dean. One hand skidded under Dean and his other arched a steady aim at the ghost.

"NO… Sammy… don't"

Aida moved towards the brothers as if she no longer amused to listen to Dean once Sam arrived.

"No… Aida… don't… he's….he trying to…" Dean forced out. Sam was pulling Dean to rest against him to get a better chance at defending his brother. "Your family…your child needs you. The family you had here is no more, but….you can go to your baby.

"I don't know where she is."

"Yes you do… just listen… I know it…Just…go…..the love of your family is something you don't have to ask for… it just happens…And you can feel it when you think you….have…hhhh….have nothing at all… And when it's gone…it hurts so bad….If you stay here…" Dean wavered, trying to hold on. "You will twist until nothing of your love for the baby…. You could have had….is gone…Don't…don't…stay here…Move on."

"She's waiting…I hear her."

"Yeah…just listen…you'll hear her."

"Dean…she knows her baby is a girl….how could…"

"She knows…..she just knows." Dean eyes welled with tears.

A glow wrapped around Aida, splashing bright warmth in the room. The Winchesters blinked, holding back some of the brightness. Just as quickly as the light came, it was gone, along with Aida.

Dean sighed and a violent shiver coursed through his weakened body. Abruptly, he felt Sam's strong arm wrap across his chest, pulling him close in what was undeniably a hug. At the moment, Dean didn't care. He let his brother support him, enjoying the fact that Sam was safe. He eased out a small breath. "Sammy…" he whispered before he lulled into unconsciousness and collapsed again Sam's shoulder.

"Easy… easy… I gotcha…" Sam held his brother gently, letting relief fill him as he listened to the uneasy breaths pouring out. "Man…I freaking hate the things you do sometimes!"

-x-xx-xx-x-x-x-x

**Later… just after morning. **

"Sam! Just stop at the post office. I need to send this to someone special. Then we have to move it. I want to make it to South Carolina by night fall."

Sam eased to a stop, still staring at the small shake in his brother's hand and legs. This one hunt almost did them both in and Dean got second helpings of pain. Sam wasn't sure if he wanted to smack some sense in his brother or be proud of him for the way he loved his family. Mentally, he noted that once Dean was up to par, he planned on kicking that Dean-knows-best-ass.

Dean swung the door, steadied himself, and struggled into the postal office. After a few minutes, he shuffled back out to Sam. He swung cautiously in, showing obvious signs of pain.

Sam let the Impala hum beneath his fingers for a second before he spoke. "You still look pale… are you…"

"I'm fine!"

"At least get some rest on the drive."

"I'm okay."

Knowing his brother's tone well, Sam changed the subject. "So, what were you doing in there?"

"Sending the tape to someone special."

"We already dropped a copy to the local PD with directions on how to find Chris…uh…"

"Yeah… I don't think we ever did learn his real last name either… I call him dic…"

"Dean…" Sam chuckled. "Who did you send a copy to?"

"Henriksen!"

"Are you nuts!?!"

"No, Sam. He may be wrong about us, but if nothing else he won't stop. I just want insurance this man is going to pay for what he did to Aida. No matter what, I know Henriksen will do it. He doesn't let things go."

"That's an understatement….Heh…the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Exactly."

"Oh... Dean?"

"Yeah, Sammy?"

"If you ever lock me up again, I'm going to kick your ass into next week!

"Okay... fair enough."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x--THE END-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xx


End file.
